The Science of Jackalopes

As part of its coverage of the debate in Wyoming over whether to make the jackalope the state's official mythological critter, the Casper Star-Tribune profiles Prof. James Holliday, emeritus professor of biology at Lafayette College, who's perhaps the foremost expert on the biology of jackalopes.

Scientific basis for the myth of the jackalope
trib.com

"There is a virus that causes growths on the jack rabbit," Holliday said. The virus is called Shope papillomavirus. Growths can come out of rabbits' bottoms and heads. When they grow from the head, they can look like horns. Holliday described a rabbit that had a growth on its mouth. "The poor thing starved to death," he said. Holliday's jackalope website, which he runs with colleague Dan Japuntich, features photos of rabbits with Shope papillomavirus and even people with growths that look like horns. Scientists believe the virus was in North America for centuries, but showed up in Europe shortly after Christopher Columbus returned from his voyage to the New World.

Folklore/Tall Tales

Posted on Sat Feb 16, 2013



Comments

I love the idea of states having "official" mythological beasts. Have other states got them? Also, I love that there is an expert on the biology of jackalopes.
Posted by Triv  on  Sat Feb 16, 2013  at  12:54 PM
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