Reports of rabbits appearing as grotesque, horned creatures with black, tentacle-like growths sprouting from their heads are on the rise.
Americans in Wisconsin, Minnesota and New York have shared images online of the creatures in recent months, likening them to ‘something that escaped from a horror movie.’
Ze Peitica Gado, a cattle seller in New York, spotted one of the rabbits on May 30, saying on Facebook: ‘Made eye contact with this rabbit and immediately regretted it.
‘All jokes aside, I reported it to the proper wildlife authorities, but this thing was gnarly.‘
Similar sightings have also been reported in Wisconsin, where Stephanie Griffith of Amery said she received a call from her daughter on June 15, who told her: ‘Mom! I saw one of those tentacle-faced bunnies today.’
The rabbits are infected by the cottontail papilloma virus (CRPV), also known as Shope papilloma virus, which causes cancerous lesions resembling horns, typically on or near the animal’s head.
The strange-looking rabbits made headlines in August of 2025 when numerous sightings emerged in Fort Collins, Colorado.
At the time, Colorado Parks and Wildlife urged the public to avoid touching infected rabbits or attempting to help them, noting that while the virus is not believed to spread to humans or pets, people should still keep their distance.
While Cheryl Maplethorpe, from River Falls, Wisconsin, spotted a rabbit with tentacle-like growths on June 11
The rabbits are infected by the cottontail papilloma virus (CRPV), also known as Shope papilloma virus, which causes cancerous lesions resembling horns, typically on or near the animal’s head. Pictured is a rabbit recently spotted in Minnesota
Another sighting was shared on Reddit about five months ago, writing: ‘I have never seen this. Didn’t even know about this. Anyone else seeing infected rabbits like this in Minnesota?’
Meanwhile, Cheryl Maplethorpe, from River Falls, Wisconsin, had a similar sighting on June 11.
She shared an image of the rabbit in her yard, capturing tentacle-like growths sprouting from the back of its head.
The virus spreads mainly via mosquitoes and ticks, which bite an infected animal and pass on the DNA-altering condition.
Scientists noted that SPV rarely spreads through direct contact between these rabbits, and there are no known cases of insects infecting people with it through a bite.
The first sign that a rabbit has the virus is red, raised spots on their skin that eventually turn into wart-like tumors.
In many cases, these warts develop into keratinized papillomas, the ‘horns’ and ‘tentacles’ seen growing out of Midwestern rabbits.
However, some of the warts can turn into squamous cell carcinoma, a serious skin cancer that can be deadly if it spreads and isn’t treated early.
A user on Reddit posted an image in 2024 of a rabbit in Fort Collins, Colorado exhibiting signs of Shope papilloma virus
Ze Peitica Gado, a cattle seller in New York, spotted one of the rabbits on May 30
For pet owners fearing their rabbits could contract the virus, medical experts said the best way to prevent SPV is to keep rabbits away from pests, especially mosquitoes.
If an insect bite does infect a pet rabbit with the virus, veterinarians can surgically remove the tumors before they become malignant.
Occasionally, the growths heal on their own, but locals say wild rabbits in the area tend to develop bigger and bigger horns.
The tumors can eventually become large enough to interfere with the rabbit’s ability to eat, causing them to die of starvation.
According to PetMD, these tumors typically develop on the ears, eyelids, or other parts of the head, making it sometimes impossible for the rabbit to see or hear.
Some on social media have questioned whether euthanizing infected wild rabbits would stop the spread.
Stephanie Griffith from Amery, Wisconsin, received a call from her daughter who said, ‘Mom! I saw one of those tentacle-faced bunnies today.’ The picture was posted on Facebook on June 15
The virus is not thought to be painful unless the growths affect a rabbit’s eyes or mouth
‘Is it more humane to kill them when [they’re] like that or just leave them alone?’ one person posted on Reddit.
Animal control officials in the US have not made any recommendation supporting this, adding that the virus does not pose a public health risk to people.
Local wildlife officials have maintained that the best thing to do if you see these disfigured rabbits is to keep your distance and leave them undisturbed.
Rabbits that contract the virus have often been the source of stories about the mythical ‘jackalope’, which is a rabbit with the antlers of an antelope.
Stories and illustrations of horned rabbits have appeared in scientific books dating back many years, such as the Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique from 1789.
