Rabbits in northern Colorado have been spotted with bizarre, somewhat grisly horns on their face. But wildlife officials say the bunnies are likely ultimately going to be okay.
They’re also not a danger to others—at least, not to nonrabbits. The tentacle-faced bunnies are infected with Shope papillomavirus, a member of the same viral family that can cause warts in humans. Shope papillomavirus is known to affect only rabbits and hares, not humans or other animals, says Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW). For most rabbits, it’s also a harmless infection.
Infected animals “are able to clear it from their system on their own,” Van Hoose says. Once the virus is gone, the growths, which are made of the same keratin found in hair and nails, eventually fall off.
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The growths themselves are not infectious. The virus spreads through bites from mosquitoes, ticks and fleas, so it tends to peak in summer and fade away in the colder months.
