The idea of a rabbit with horns has long captured human imagination. While the image of a horned rabbit might seem purely mythical, science offers a compelling explanation that reveals a surprising connection to the natural world. This article explores both the legends and the biological realities behind these unusual sightings.
Unraveling the Jackalope Legend
The most prominent horned rabbit in popular culture is the jackalope, a creature deeply embedded in North American folklore. Depicted as a jackrabbit adorned with antelope antlers, this mythical animal gained widespread recognition through tall tales and hoaxes. Its origins are often traced to the 1930s in Douglas, Wyoming, where brothers Douglas and Ralph Herrick created the first jackalope by attaching deer antlers to a jackrabbit carcass. This creation quickly became a cultural icon, appearing on postcards, souvenirs, and roadside attractions across the American West.
The jackalope legend describes the creature as elusive and fast. Folklore suggests that jackalopes can mimic human voices and sing along with cowboys. Stories also claim they only mate during lightning storms, contributing to their rarity. Douglas, Wyoming, embraced the legend, even issuing jesting hunting permits for the creature.
The Scientific Explanation
While the jackalope is a product of folklore, the real-world inspiration for horned rabbits comes from a specific scientific phenomenon. Rabbits can develop horn-like growths due to an infection by the Shope papillomavirus, also known as Cottontail Rabbit Papillomavirus (CRPV). This DNA virus, first discovered by Richard E. Shope in 1933, infects certain leporids, causing keratinous tumors to appear on their bodies.
These growths typically manifest on or near the animal’s head, including the ears, nose, and eyelids, but can also occur on other parts of the body. The tumors are composed of keratin, the same protein found in hair, skin, and nails. While generally benign, these growths can become quite large, sometimes leading to difficulties with eating or seeing, and in some cases, can become malignant. The physical manifestation of these viral tumors is widely believed to be the basis for historical sightings of horned rabbits and the subsequent jackalope myth.
Distinguishing Growths from True Horns
Understanding the Shope papillomavirus growths requires distinguishing them from true horns or antlers found on other mammals. True horns, such as those on cattle, goats, or antelope, are permanent structures composed of a bony core covered by a keratin sheath. These horns typically grow continuously throughout the animal’s life and are not shed annually, with the exception of pronghorns. Antlers, unique to the deer family, are entirely made of bone and are typically shed and regrown each year.
In contrast, the growths caused by the Shope papillomavirus are purely keratinous skin tumors, lacking a bony core connection to the rabbit’s skull. They are irregular in shape and size, often appearing waxy or black, and are not part of the animal’s skeletal structure. These viral formations are a pathological condition, a result of infection, rather than an evolved biological appendage. While visually similar to horns in some instances, their biological composition and origin are fundamentally different.