The zombie-like virus spreading among rabbits in Colorado
Wild rabbits in Colorado are being affected by a papilloma virus that causes black, tumor-like growths on their faces, giving them a zombie-like appearance.
1.Initial Reports
A local news service, WFSB, has reported that a disease is spreading among wild rabbits in Colorado state, USA, causing black, tumor-like growths to appear on their faces. The affected rabbits have been spotted primarily in the northern Colorado area.
2.Official Response
A media spokesperson from Colorado Parks and Wildlife told Newsweek magazine that such structural growths may be caused by a papilloma virus. "Since photos related to these incidents were first published last Friday, we are now receiving a significant number of reports from around the northern Colorado area," the media spokesperson stated.
3.Multiple Reports
The media spokesperson further mentioned that there is a high possibility that several reports may represent the same diseased animal. Wildlife officials are working to determine the actual extent of the outbreak.
4.Health Risks
This papilloma virus has not yet been identified as a disease that spreads to other animals or humans. Nevertheless, Colorado wildlife authorities have advised against attempting to help rabbits showing such disease symptoms. They have also given instructions to keep pets away from such rabbits.
5.Social Media Reaction
The deformed appearance on the faces of rabbits showing disease symptoms is spreading as hot news on social media networks and other online communities. This is because they appear to look like 'zombies' from series like "The Last of Us" at first glance.
6.Folklore Connections
Some suggest that these diseased rabbits might be mistaken for the horned and special creatures like 'jackalopes' from North American folklore. These mythical creatures have been part of western American folklore for decades.
7.Scientific Understanding
Scientists who have studied the papilloma virus have been able to discover that it can cause cancer, and it has also been helpful in creating the HPV vaccine that protects against human papilloma viruses (HPV) that infect humans. What spreads among rabbits is the SPV or Shope Papilloma Virus. Although it's related to human papilloma virus, it has not yet been found to infect humans.
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