Thursday Postcard Hunt | Jackalope

     A horned rabbit thought by some to have been hunted to extinction, the Jackalope still lives in the minds and memories of those fascinated by these creatures. The Jackalope has the body of a large rabbit but with antlers protruding from its head. The Jackalope myth came form the American West in the late-1700s and early 1800s. The creature appeared in stories told by trappers, cow-boys, and the first Euro-American settlers who came to the region.

     While there is little hard evidence to support the existence of most mythical creatures, there just might be some evidence of the Jackalope! Over the decades, there have been reports of large rabbits infested with "Shope papillomavirus," a virus that causes the rowth of hardenen, tumor-like skin, usually from the skull. Such a virus would create growths that, from a distance, could easily resemble horns. 

     There are also stories that the Jackalope is intelligent and that the creature likes to sing. According to cowboy folklore, Jackalopes have been known to join cowboys at night and sing along with their favourite campfire songs.

     Is the creature real? Or just an inside joke for Wyoming residents and visitors to Grand Teton National Park? We'll let you decide, but Wyoming does sells Jackalope Hunting Licenses!

Postcard sent from Britanny (the USA).

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
June theme: SHAPES

• Week 1 - Letters
• Week 2 - Curves
• Week 3 - Lines
• Week 4 - Irregular/Wavy

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!