'Unsightly,' Wart-Covered Deer In Colorado Is No Danger To Public

MORRISON, CO — An "unsightly" deer covered in "warty growths" in Colorado is no danger to the public, officials said.

Concerned citizens in Morrison reported the deer to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers Monday. Morrison is about 17 miles southwest of Denver.

Photos posted on social media by the agency showed the animal with massive growths on its face, neck, ears and torso.

The agency said the warts are cutaneous fibromas caused by a virus. The virus is believed to be transmitted through biting insects or direct contact, but typically do not cause any problems for deer, though in rare cases they can interfere with sight, breathing, eating, and walking, or cause secondary bacterial infections.

But the virus cannot spread to domestic livestock or humans, and while they're "pretty unsightly," officials said the Morrison deer's case wasn't serious.

Most fibromas will eventually regress and completely heal. When an animal contracts the virus and develops warts, wildlife officers monitor the animal's mobility and ability to eat and drink. Once the growths are healed, the deer develops a lifelong resistance to future infections.

In this case, the deer is walking around fine, eating and otherwise acting like a deer. The deer" may not win the beauty contest," officials said, but "it does provide an opportunity to share some wildlife education."

"We are letting the deer be for now and will continue to monitor it," the Parks and Wildlife agency said in a Facebook post.