Grotesque 'zombie squirrels' with oozing warts spotted roaming through US backyards
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- Zombie-like gray squirrels with wart-covered tumors have been increasingly spotted across U.S. states such as Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, alarming residents with their grotesque appearance.
- Experts attribute these deformities to squirrel fibromatosis, a viral skin disease caused by leporipoxvirus, which spreads through direct contact and resembles herpes transmission in humans.
- The virus causes fluid-oozing, wart-like growths that usually clear up on their own within four to eight weeks, though severe cases can be fatal if internal organs are affected.
- Wildlife officials emphasize that infected squirrels pose no threat to humans, pets, or birds, and advise people to avoid interfering and allow the animals to recover naturally.
- Increased sightings may be linked to communal feeding areas like bird feeders, where infected squirrels can easily transmit the virus to others through saliva or fluids on leftover seeds.
