2025-08-20T15:29:42Z

Imagine walking through the woods and stumbling upon deer with bizarre growths all over their bodies. It sounds like something out of a horror film, but it’s the unsettling reality many are facing across the United States right now! Reports of deer suffering from strange tumor-like growths, affectionately dubbed 'deer warts,' are flooding social media, alarming wildlife officials and animal lovers alike.

From the Northeast to the Pacific Northwest, residents are snapping photos of deer with these peculiar growths appearing on their faces and legs. Over the past couple of months, sightings have spiked in states like New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, prompting wildlife experts to step in and provide clarity.

The condition, scientifically known as deer cutaneous fibroma, is caused by a virus that spreads primarily through pesky insects like mosquitoes and ticks. Yes, those annoying little buggers we all love to hate are behind this eerie epidemic. Wildlife officials are sounding the alarm that the virus is proliferating this summer, with the warm weather creating an ideal breeding ground for these disease-carrying insects.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that papillomas, or warts, are particularly prevalent during late summer and fall, coinciding with increased insect activity. A Reddit user even shared a chilling image of a deer completely covered in cutaneous fibromas earlier this month, capturing the concern of many.

This viral condition isn’t limited to deer; other critters like rabbits and squirrels are also showing alarming signs of their own species-specific viruses. These animals, too, are battling growths and sores, contributing to a wider narrative about wildlife health across the nation.

It's important to understand that the virus affecting deer is part of the papillomavirus family, which can also impact humans. Although the strains that infect deer are species-specific—meaning they won’t jump to humans or other animals—some versions of human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to serious health issues, including cancers. The deer warts can range in size from a pea to a football and appear as gray, black, or fleshy growths.

While these warts might look grotesque, they’re rarely fatal. In fact, a deer’s immune system usually fights off the virus, allowing the warts to shrink away in a matter of months. Yet, in rarer cases, if the growths become too enormous or infected, they can obstruct a deer’s vision or ability to feed.

Experts like Dr. Kristin Mansfield, a wildlife veterinarian, highlight how deer can spread this condition through shared feeding grounds or contact with each other, particularly during mating season when they rub against trees to mark territory. Surprisingly, deer warts are not confined to specific regions; they’re found throughout the entire range of white-tailed deer across North America, making this a widespread health concern.

In addition to the deer, the rising temperatures attributed to climate change are allowing ticks and mosquitoes to thrive longer, leading to an increase in various diseases, including Lyme disease. As Dr. Omer Awan from the University of Maryland notes, such shifts are making diseases that were once confined to certain areas now more widespread. “We’re starting to see cases in regions that were never affected before,” he warns, highlighting how the changing climate is reshaping the wildlife landscape.

While deer warts have existed for centuries, the current spike in sightings can be partially attributed to the role of social media in our lives today. As more people share their experiences online, awareness grows, and so does the conversation around such wildlife health issues.