What is happening to rabbits, why do they have tentacles or horns growing out of their heads? It is a contagious disease; in fact, this is not the first time it has happened. It was first identified in the 1930s and is believed to have inspired the legend of the Jackalope, a mythical creature with the body of a rabbit and the horns of an antelope.

In previous years, the media has referred to these cases as devil rabbits, horned rabbits, tentacled rabbits, Frankenstein rabbits. The media seeks a dramatic term to draw attention to a case that is truly dramatic, but only for the affected rabbits.

In 2025, cases have been reported in the United States, specifically, the largest number of affected rabbits have been seen in the states of Colorado, Washington, and South Dakota, and they mostly appear on the rabbits' heads, due to a virus that causes wart-like skin tumors called papillomas.

They grow mainly on the rabbit's face and head. Known as Shope papillomavirus in rabbits, these growths can be large and in some cases may look like horns or tentacles, although they do not turn rabbits into zombies; the rabbits are fully aware of what is happening to them.

I suppose that this year journalists are using the term “zombie” in reference to the post-apocalyptic game and television series “The Walking Dead” or, more recently, “The Last of Us.” Fortunately for rabbits, the virus is not usually fatal. In most cases, the tumors are benign and do not cause the animal's death. In fact, rabbits' immune systems can fight off the virus, and the tentacles usually disappear over time.

The biggest problem for rabbits living in the wild is that the tentacles are a major nuisance, as they grow on the head and can hinder or even prevent vital functions such as seeing, hearing, eating, or even drinking, causing the rabbit to starve to death in some cases or fall prey to a predator in others.

It is a virus that is not fatal, but it is very annoying and has a very unpleasant appearance, so the question would be, can this virus affect humans or our pets? The answer is that, fortunately, this virus is not a threat to humans or pets. It is a virus specific to rabbits and is not transmitted to people, dogs, cats, or other animals, unless, of course, you have a rabbit as a pet.

However, be careful, because curiously, this virus can be more dangerous in domestic rabbits, which can become infected through insect bites. As soon as you notice the first symptoms, you should take your pet rabbit to the vet for appropriate treatment.

There are other papillomaviruses specific to dogs and cats, but they are rare in domestic animals. In general, papillomaviruses have become highly specialized and are very specific in their choice of host, each infecting only its specific species. Those that affect pets do not reach the levels seen today in wild rabbits and, except in very rare cases, are easily treated.

This virus is spread by insects, with the main form of transmission being through bites from blood-feeding insects such as mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. They can also be spread by direct contact between rabbits, and the reason why they are more visible these days, with more cases, is because it is summer and it is precisely at this time of year when the insect population is at its peak.

In conclusion, the case of “zombie” rabbits is a natural phenomenon, known and well documented for almost 100 years. It is not an apocalyptic epidemic. The appearance of the animals can certainly be frightening, but the virus is harmless to humans and pets, and most wild rabbits manage to survive the infection.