US Warns Public to Avoid ‘Frankenstein’ Rabbits With Disturbing Black Growths Spreading Across Parks
Authorities in the United States are issuing urgent warnings after reports of wild rabbits developing eerie, black, tentacle-like growths on their heads began to surface.
In Fort Collins, Colorado, residents have been spotting the unsettling creatures, which look like they’ve leapt straight out of a horror series such as The Last of Us or Stranger Things. These aren’t fictional monsters, though—they’re ordinary rabbits infected with cottontail papilloma virus (CRPV).
The virus causes dark, spike-like tumours to erupt from the animals’ heads, creating a grotesque appearance. Sightings first gained attention in 2024 when a local shared photos of a rabbit whose entire face was covered in these strange protrusions.
“It looked like black quills sticking out around its mouth,” recalled Fort Collins resident Susan Mansfield. “I thought it wouldn’t survive the winter, but it came back the next year—and the growths had gotten even bigger.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) now urges the public not to touch or try to help infected rabbits. While there is no evidence that CRPV can be transmitted to humans or pets, officials stress the importance of avoiding any contact.
How the virus spreads
CRPV is mainly carried by mosquitoes and ticks, which bite infected rabbits and then pass the virus to healthy ones. Direct rabbit-to-rabbit transmission is rare, and there are no known cases of insect bites spreading the disease to humans.
What happens to infected rabbits
The infection begins with small, reddish bumps on the skin. Over time, these develop into wart-like lumps that can grow into keratinised papillomas—the horn-like “tentacles” seen sprouting from the rabbits’ ears, eyelids, and faces.
In some cases, these growths can turn cancerous, becoming squamous cell carcinoma, which can be fatal if untreated. Even when benign, the tumours often grow so large that they hinder eating, leading to eventual starvation.
Wildlife experts are advising pet rabbit owners to take preventive measures against mosquitoes and ticks to avoid exposure to the virus.