The iconic princess, Snow White, would sing loud and clear, so beautifully in fact, that woodland creatures would emerge from the forest. Among them might’ve been critters such as fluffy bunnies or bushy-tailed squirrels who’d chirp along to her tunes or prance around as “The Fairest of Them All” tolerated their antics. Imagine one day, as Snow White begins to sing, zombified squirrels, spiders, and rabbits with numerous horns and tentacles emerge from the woods, bearing their gaze upon the princess. This could turn a tale from a lighthearted Disney fable to a Brothers Grimm banger in an instant.
These zombie squirrels and other strange creatures t are no works of fiction. Over the last few weeks on social media, obscure creatures have been making headlines, such as decaying squirrels (now dubbed “zombie squirrels”), moldy spiders (now dubbed “zombie spiders”), or horned bunnies (yes, literal horned bunnies with tentacles, not to be confused with the Jackolope). The general question on people’s minds must be, “What in the seven circles of hell?” These oddities aren’t signs of the rapture, but strange workings in the hand of Mother Nature.
The Zombie Squirrels of Peril
Dubbed “zombie squirrels” on popular media outlets such as TikTok and Instagram, these squirrels are attributed this name due to numerous physical features, such as grotesque spots similar to rotten flesh, giving the squirrel an appearance similar to that of a zombie.
Your typical garden squirrel
In actuality, the numerous strange blotches and marks that make them appear “zombie” are the result of squirrel fibromatosis, which is essentially a viral skin disease caused by leporipoxvirus. This is a sort of germ-based infection that’s spread between other small rodents and animals, which can lead to cell death. This disease is spread through saliva and fluids, which is why it’s commonly compared to diseases such as herpes. The leporipoxvirus will lead to the formation and growth of tumors and oozing fluids from these cavities.
Luckily, however, there is no fear of the apocalypse or end times! According to esteemed professionals such as Shevenell Webb of Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, they pose no risk to humans or other small animals as they are. They should be left alone, and eventually, over the course of an estimated 6-8 weeks, nature will run its course and the infected squirrels will naturally heal.
The Horned & Tentacled Bunnies of Doom and Despair
These horned, tentacled bunnies (not to be confused with the jackalope) began making headlines around early August of 2025 due to having multiple protruding horns of dark colors from their heads and faces. This has earned them names such as “Frankenstein Bunnies” and “Krampus.” They’ve even been compared to the Rabbit of Caerbannog from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).
Your typical bunny rabbit
These poor rabbits are essentially victims, just like the squirrels, as they’ve been altered, not by the lab of Dr Frankenstein, but by a common virus by the name of cottontail rabbit papillomavirus, also known as the Shope papillomavirus, which long existed before these discoveries became “viral.” Cottontail rabbit papillomavirus, AKA CRP, is a DNA virus that’s transmitted to animals through insects such as ticks and mosquitoes through bites. The horns themselves are formed through keratin, growing around the head and eyes of rabbits. Typically, rabbits build immunity and are able to fight off this disease over time, allowing the horns to fall off. This disease is what allowed humans to study the behavior of cells, leading to a higher understanding of connecting HPV with certain cancers. It is, in fact, not harmful to humans.
The Zombie Spider Apocalypse
Known as “zombie spiders” on numerous social media platforms, these creatures are, like the others, victims of natural causes in the environment and their ecosystems. These spiders are known for their cotton ball appearance. They seem to be wrapped in a molding ball of white, as if they donned a disgusting fur coat.
The Zombie Spider
These “zombie spiders” are a relatively new discovery, initially being uncovered in 2021 in Northern Ireland. They are now discovered just about everywhere, from Russia to New Zealand, to even Minnesota. The white fluff that gives the spiders their “zombie” appearance is a form of fungus, which can actively infect specific cave-dwelling spiders found in Europe called Metellina Merianae. These fungi alter the brain chemistry of spiders, causing them to do things like open spores, die in the open, or allow certain metabolites to enter their minds. Although this isn’t powerful enough to affect humans, it can also work on ants and small insects. This is important because a fungus that can control the flow of the mind can be used to discover substances that can help fight against degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
Despite the numerous oddities recently making headlines, there won’t be any need for public disturbance or panic. These creatures are all completely natural, and they won’t become a detriment to humanity! We won’t need a real Rick Grimes or Jill Valentine to bail us out anytime soon. Humanity has plenty more time to cross-breed animals and mess with ancient mutations, and when that happens, it’ll be the future’s problem.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/leporipoxvirus
https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/14/us/rabbits-colorado-horns
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/fungus-zombie-spiders-america-b2811839.html
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/14/science/zombie-spider-fungus-caves-gibellula
