Mutated Deer Photos Spread Online

Ah, deer indeed!

Disturbing images of black bubbles resembling mutant deer have been circulating on social media recently. This comes on the heels of strange sightings of oversized squirrels and rabbits across the U.S., sparking concerns about a potential disease outbreak.

Many pictures show deer wandering through backyards and the wilderness, their heads covered in large, bubbling masses.

Despite how unsettling they seem, these golf ball-sized warts—formally called “fibromas”—are actually non-cancerous tumors, according to wildlife officials.

These warts typically grow on the heads and necks of deer, spreading from one animal to another, but they pose little threat to the overall health of the deer.

Following the emergence of quirky terms like “Zombiliths” and “Frankenstein Rabbit,” these amusing photos began to gain traction online.

Reports of Katontail rabbits exhibiting strange black, tentacle-like growths in places like Colorado, Minnesota, and Nebraska have prompted warnings against approaching these unusual creatures.

This peculiar deformation stems from a virus known as the cutaneous rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV), which can spread through bites from infected mosquitoes, mites, or fleas.

Just a few days later, a squirrel with a boil was noted in parts of Maine.

Some observers quickly labeled it as a “zombilis,” but wildlife experts believe this is likely a case of squirrel fibromatosis.

Despite its alarming appearance, officials from Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife recently stated that residents need not worry. The creatures don’t pose a threat to humans, pets, or birds, so there’s no reason for concern about the squirrels.