Janice Baertschy of Minneapolis sent these two pictures to Dan Japuntich. The rabbit was photographed live in her yard (upper photograph) in the summer of 2002. Janice said in her e-mail, "We called this particular rabbit "The Freak" and the "rabbit with dreadlocks", and saw it several times. There was another in our yard that looked to have just tiny buttons on its head like a button buck. This was in a northern suburb of Minneapolis."
This rabbit strongly resembles some of the old figures of Lepus cornutus (one by Benard published in Bonnaterre's Tableau Encyclopedique et Methodique, 1789, is shown shown below), making it easy to see how naturalists of the time would have interpreted such specimens as having horns.
This is a picture of a mounted cottontail rabbit at the Museum of Natural History at the University of Kansas. It was caught near Topeka and has a severe infection of the Shope papillomavirus. The picture was taken by Heather York, who says that it has small "horns" all over its body, as well as the magnificient set of growths on its head. Thanks for the picture, Heather!
More pictures are available below; scroll down the page.
This picture was sent to us 5/4/04 by Mike Bellamy of Omaha, NB. It shows an infection with the Shope papillomavirus that is similar to the one above. Thanks, Mike!
This picture was sent to Dan Japuntich by Grant VanGilder of Mankato, MN. It shows a severe infection with the Shope papillomavirus, although Grant says, "He is still alive and kicking and is the talk of the neighborhood." (As of 5/19/03) Thanks, Grant!
More pictures are available below; scroll down the page.
This picture of a mounted specimen was sent to Dan Japuntich by Siah St. Clair, Director of the Springbrook Nature Center of Fridley, MN.
This picture was sent to Dan Japuntich by Chad Anderson of Mankato, MN. It looks like a character from Lord of the Rings, doesn't it?
This picture was sent to Dan Japuntich by Stan and Connie Spielbusch (http://www.stanandconnie.com/2001apr.html) and it, too, shows a classic case of infection by Shope papillomavirus. There are four "horns" in all; two on the lower jaw, one below and behind the animal's right eye and one on its forehead just to the right of its left eye. The stuffed rabbit is on display in the Buckhorn Saloon/Museum (http://www.buckhornmuseum.com/) in San Antonio, TX.
This picture is posted on the Texas A & M Kingsville Campus WWW page. As the page notes, the papilloma growths around the rabbit's mouth may be so extensive that it cannot eat, causing it to starve to death.
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