Perhaps youāve wondered whether jackalopes are realĀ yourself. Iāve had two people ask me in the last week.
Thereās not a whole bunch of information about jackalopes around, but I found this nifty video on YouTube, and thatās after watching quite a few (what is the opposite of nifty?) videos as well.
The jackalope is reputed to be a cross between a jackrabbit and antelope. Except that jackrabbits arenāt rabbits (theyāre hares), and the American antelope isnāt an antelope (itās a pronghorn). Go figure.
Most jackalopes are pictured with deer antlers instead of pronghorn (antelope) antlers.
Top to bottom: Deer, Pronghorn, Caribou, Jackrabbit
Jackalopes were ādiscoveredā in Wyoming in 1932 but a man and his brother who were mail-order taxidermists.
Whisky is rumored to be their favorite drink.
They breedĀ during lightning flashes.
Other Jackalope sightings:
A friend from Alaska told me that in Alaska, jackalopes are called haribou. These are even more elusive than the jackalope because you canāt find them on Google.
The Wolpertinger (Bavarian) ā very cool. This one also has wings!
A single horned bunny in Europe (think unicorn rabbit).
The horned hare (European).
The whole myth most likely originates with a virus that causes cancerous growths on rabbitsĀ (Shope Papilloma VirusĀ ā similar to human HPV). This site has several interesting pictures. It makes me very sad to see these rabbits. :(
And then thereās THIS (creepy) video that has something to do with a kangaroo, fangs, and no antlersā¦
Jackalope Wives by Ursula Vernon won the 2014 Nebula Award for best Short Story. You can read it for free at Apex Magazine. Highly recommended.
ProjectĀ Jackalope by Emily Ecton ā fun middle-grade (8-12 years) mystery/thriller
Revenge of the Horned Bunnies by Ursula Vernon ā also middle-grade, #6 in a series
NOW YOU: READ ANY STORIES WITH JACKALOPES? HAVE ANY BEEN āSEENā IN YOUR AREA?
Ā Are #jackalopes real? Inquiring minds want to know. #cryptid #amwriting #myths Perhaps you've wondered whether jackalopes are realĀ yourself. I've had two people ask me in the last week.