What’s Behind the Mysterious Growths on Deer?
In recent months, photos of deer with unusual tumor-like growths have stirred concern across New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These strange lumps, which also appeared on rabbits and squirrels, sparked fears of a new wildlife outbreak.
However, wildlife officials say the cause is a familiar one: deer cutaneous fibroma, commonly known as “deer warts.” This condition is caused by a virus in the papillomavirus family, spread mainly by insects like mosquitoes and ticks, or through direct contact. Though alarming, the growths are not new and have been documented in the U.S. since at least the 1950s.
The warts typically appear on the neck, head, and forelegs, and while they aren’t painful, they can sometimes interfere with the deer’s vision or movement. Usually, the growths dry up and fall off within a few months.
Though humans cannot contract deer warts, experts caution that the ticks spreading the virus can carry diseases like Lyme disease — a growing concern as climate change expands tick habitats.
