Wyoming Game and Fish asking residents to report any strange rabbit carcasses

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is once again asking residents to report any unusual rabbit carcasses they find in the area. 

Game and Fish biologists are monitoring the spread of rabbit hemorrhagic disease. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 (RHDV2) is a fatal disease in rabbits and is classified as a foreign animal disease in the United States.

Although it has not been detected in the Sheridan Region, according to the Game and Fish recently, 11 cases of Rabbit hemorrhagic disease have been identified in Albany and Laramie counties. These cases have been from a wild eastern cottontail (1), black-tailed jackrabbits (3), and desert cottontails (7). 

The disease is highly contagious to rabbit species. According to the US Department of Agriculture, in February 2020, animal health officials detected RHDV2 for the third time in the United States, since 2018. Since that detection, RHDV2 has spread to multiple states across the Southwest.

Wyoming Game and Fish Public Information Specialist Christina Schmidt. 

If residents find a rabbit carcass without immediate signs of cause of death, do not attempt to move or touch the carcass. Make note of the carcass location and notify the Sheridan Region Game and Fish Office at (307) 672-7418. To find out more about RHDV2, click here.