Colorado’s “Tentacled” Rabbits Trigger Social‑Media Buzz, but Vets Say It’s a Known Virus, Not a Zombie Outbreak.

The odd protrusions are not the product of a lab experiment or a new “zombie” pathogen, as some online users have speculated. Veterinarians and wildlife biologists trace them to a well‑known virus called the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV). The virus, which has been documented in North America for decades, causes wart‑like tumors that can extend outward from the head or neck. In the past, occasional cases have been noted during winter months, but the recent uptick in sightings appears to have captured public imagination in an unprecedented way.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the virus spreads primarily through arthropod vectors—mosquitoes and ticks that feed on rabbits and then transmit the infection to other individuals. In most cases the lesions are relatively small and may regress on their own. However, the reports from local residents describe rabbits whose growths have become so pronounced that the animals struggle to feed, eventually succumbing to starvation. The agency’s official response is straightforward: avoid touching the afflicted animals and keep a safe distance. Experts stress that CRPV has not been shown to infect humans or domestic pets, so the public health risk is minimal.

The story gained momentum early this year when a handful of Weibo users posted blurry photos of the “tentacled” rabbits, accompanied by captions that ranged from “this gives me goosebumps” to tongue‑in‑cheek warnings about a “new zombie virus.” The hashtag #美国惊现触手兔子专家警告远离# trended for several days, sparking a mixture of disgust, curiosity and, in some corners, outright panic. Some commenters conjectured that the animals were the result of a clandestine biotechnological mishap, while others urged fellow netizens to stay away from the disturbing images.

While the viral nature of the posts underscores how quickly sensational stories can spread, it also highlights the responsibility of both authorities and media outlets to provide accurate context. Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s advisory, though brief, serves as a reminder that not every eerie animal sighting translates into a public threat. In reality, the tentacled rabbits are an unlikely, albeit unsettling, manifestation of a known wildlife disease rather than evidence of a looming ecological crisis.

The episode offers a broader glimpse into how modern information ecosystems operate. A genuine, if rare, veterinary condition became a headline‑grabbing spectacle, amplified by users eager for the bizarre and the grotesque. In the process, myths about “biochemical catastrophes” and “Pandora’s boxes” sprang up, prompting calls for greater media literacy and more aggressive counter‑measures against misinformation. As the rabbit sightings continue to be monitored by wildlife officials, the public’s fascination appears to be settling back into a more measured curiosity—one that appreciates the quirks of nature without succumbing to unfounded fear.