The Antlered Rabbit, a creature resembling a North American rabbit with antlers like those of a deer or an elk, serves as a cultural symbol of the American West.
This mythical creature appears frequently in various forms, from postcards to drinking mugs. But does it truly exist, or is it merely a figment of mythology?
While no hybrid animal of this sort exists, there is a kernel of truth in the legend, according to Michael Branch, a Professor of Literature and Environment at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Rabbits do not grow antlers naturally, but papillomavirus in rabbits can cause this.
“It is a mythical creature. However, it has a real connection to horned rabbits in nature infected with Papillomavirus. Rabbits do not grow antlers naturally. But the papillomavirus in rabbits can cause this. Notably, Papillomavirus is common in many species, and each type typically infects members of a specific animal species, similar to how the human papillomavirus is known as HPV,” Professor Michael Branch stated.
When the papillomavirus infects a rabbit, it can lead to the development of benign tumors on their face or head, which sometimes resemble antlers. These tumors are composed of keratin—a protein that forms nails and hair—and can occasionally develop on other body parts, though they are most commonly found on the head. In some cases, these tumors can become malignant.
However, these tumors do not always resemble antlers. They often appear black and grow asymmetrically, unlike the antlers of the mythical antlered rabbit. “To be honest, they look quite bizarre. Depending on the severity of the condition, they can look rather horrific,” Professor Branch commented.
In 1933, an American virologist named Richard Shope discovered that the papillomavirus in rabbits (later scientifically named Shope Papillomavirus) caused infected rabbits to develop horn-like features, according to a 2015 study published in the journal PLOS One.
At that time, most scientists did not believe that viruses could cause cancer, despite some evidence suggesting that viruses could lead to cancer in birds. However, the antlered rabbits proved them wrong.
“This opened up many research pathways to explore other cancers that may be caused by viruses and ultimately aim towards developing a vaccine against them. Specifically, it allowed researchers to begin creating the HPV vaccine, which can reduce the risk of cervical cancer and several other cancers,” he added.
Not all rabbits infected with the papillomavirus grow antlers, just as not everyone infected with HPV develops cancer. But in horned rabbits, the disease is often fatal. The antlers can disrupt the animal’s ability to eat, leading to starvation,” Professor Branch emphasized.
These horned rabbits due to disease may have inspired the legend of the antlered rabbit, but that remains uncertain. The antlered rabbit legend originated from two brothers in Douglas, Wyoming. These boys invented the image of the antlered rabbit themselves.
“Just around the time the two boys were creating a prank about a non-existent rabbit in Wyoming, Richard Shope was at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in Princeton, New Jersey, studying horned rabbits in his laboratory,” Professor Michael Branch noted.
