Real-Life Jackalopes? Colorado’s Horned Rabbits: Creepy, But Harmless

If you grew up in South Dakota, or at least stopped at any tourist spot in the state, you're probably familiar with the legend of the Jackalope.

A Jackalope is a Bigfoot-like creature that is said to live on the high plains. It's a rabbit with the antlers of an antelope. It's actually kind of a joke that has grown into a phenomenon.

The Jackalope, as we know it, got its start in 1930s Wyoming when a couple of brothers who did taxidermy put some horns on a stuffed rabbit as a joke. Soon, replicas of the mythical beast were selling like crazy across the region.

But we may have found a real-life inspiration for the Jackalope. Recently, in Fort Collins, Colorado, a group of real wild rabbits with real horns was spotted.

Horned Rabbits in Colorado: The Real Science

OK, not actual horns, but weird growths that look like horns. The rabbits seen in northern Colorado, cottontails in this case, are just plain old regular bunnies suffering from a disease.

The rabbits are infected with Shope papillomavirus. It's harmless to humans but causes growths on the rabbit's body. They start out looking like warts but can grow into antler-like clusters.

Jackalope Legend Rooted in Viral Infection

Wildlife officials report this is a fairly common summer sighting in Colorado this time of year. The virus is spread by fleas, ticks, and direct rabbit-to-rabbit contact.

So, is this disease the root of the legend of the Jackalope? Did people on wagon trains 150 years ago spot infected cottontails and tell tales of demon creatures hopping along the old west bunny trails?