Can Animals Become Zombies?

I came across a "shower thought" that got me thinking: Can animals become zombies? This sparked my curiosity, and I want to explore the topic further.

For some of you may not know what a shower thought is.

A shower thought is a term used to describe a sudden realization or idea that comes to someone in the shower or engaged in a similar task that allows their mind to wander. These thoughts can range from silly or humorous to profound and thought-provoking. They are often shared online in forums or social media platforms where others can relate to or expand upon the original thought.

What are zombies?

Zombies are typically defined as reanimated corpses with no free will or consciousness and acting on a primal instinct to feed on living flesh. They are often depicted as infected by a virus or parasite that causes their death and resurrection. They also spread the infection to other living beings through bites or scratches.

Fictional Zombie in the Film

While humans becoming zombies is not a reality, the idea of zombies is a thought-provoking and fascinating concept for many people.

Zombies have remained a popular topic in films and TV shows over the last decade. In addition to classics like Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, newer films such as World War Z and Train to Busan have revitalized the genre with unique takes on the zombie apocalypse. TV shows like The Walking Dead have also gained huge followings, with fans eagerly anticipating each new season. The latest TV show, The Last of Us, based on a video game, has become wildly popular in recent weeks. The continued popularity of zombies in popular culture shows that our fascination with these undead creatures is far from over.

Here are some notable examples:

• Night of the Living Dead (1968): This black-and-white classic directed by George A. Romero is often credited with popularizing the modern zombie genre. The film follows a group of survivors trapped in a farmhouse while hoards of zombie-like creatures attempt to break in.

• Dawn of the Dead (1978): Also directed by Romero, this film takes place in a shopping mall that zombies have overrun. The survivors must fight through the mall and try to find a way to escape.

• 28 Days Later (2002): This British film directed by Danny Boyle features fast-moving zombies who are infected with a virus that spreads rapidly through the population. The film follows a group of survivors who attempt to avoid the infected and find a haven.

• Zombieland (2009): This horror-comedy directed by Ruben Fleischer follows a group of survivors traveling across the United States searching for a haven. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.

• World War Z (2013): Based on the novel by Max Brooks, this film stars Brad Pitt as a United Nations employee who travels the world searching for a cure for a zombie pandemic threatening to destroy humanity.

• Train to Busan (2016): This South Korean film follows a group of passengers on a bullet train who must fight off zombies that have infiltrated the train. The film is known for its intense action sequences and emotional storyline.

• Army of the Dead (2021): Army of the Dead is a Netflix original movie directed by Zack Snyder, set to be released on May 14th, 2021. The movie is set after a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas. A group of mercenaries takes the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.

• The Walking Dead (2010 - present): This television series, based on the comic book series of the same name, follows a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. The show has been praised for its character development and intense action sequences.

• The Last of Us (2023- ): The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic action/horror drama TV series based on the 2013 video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog. The story takes place twenty years after a species of cordyceps fungus infects humanity and follows Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across the post-apocalyptic United States. The series stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie.

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In fiction, zombies come in various forms. Some are depicted as slow-moving, mindless creatures that are reanimated corpses of the dead, while others are portrayed as fast, predatory beings that retain some level of intelligence. Additionally, some zombie stories incorporate elements of disease outbreaks or viral infections, while others involve supernatural forces or scientific experiments gone wrong. Despite their differences, one thing remains constant: zombies are a popular and enduring horror and science fiction trope. They continue to captivate audiences and inspire new stories, movies, and TV shows. Here are the types of zombies found in films or TV series.

Types of Zombies in Fiction:

• Voodoo Zombies: They are a type of zombie often found in Haitian folklore. They are said to be created by a witch doctor or bokor using a combination of herbs, animal parts, and other ingredients to create a potion or powder. The victim is then given the potion or powder, which puts them into a death-like state. The bokor then revives the victim, but they are left in a state of mindless obedience and can be controlled by the bokor. Voodoo zombies are often depicted as being used for tasks such as manual labor or as soldiers in a zombie army. It should be noted that voodoo zombies are fictional creations with no basis in reality.

• Fast Zombies: They can run and move faster than traditional zombies. They are often depicted as more dangerous and harder to escape than slow zombies. This type of zombie was popularized in movies like 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, World War Z, I am Legend, or Zombieland, and has since become a common trope in zombie media.

• Intelligent Zombies: They can use weapons and communicate. They are often depicted as being able to strategize and think critically, making them more dangerous than traditional zombies. Examples of intelligent zombies are in movies like Land of the Dead, The Walking Dead, and Resident Evil.

• Flesh eater zombies: They are a well-known fictional concept of the undead that are often depicted as slow-moving, decaying corpses with an insatiable hunger for living flesh. These zombies have been featured in countless movies, TV shows, and video games, with each version adding its unique twist to the lore. Although some depictions suggest that zombies can be killed by destroying the brain, others show them as nearly indestructible creatures that can only be stopped by destroying the entire body. Despite being a fictional concept, the idea of flesh-eating zombies has become a cultural phenomenon and reminds us of our fascination with the unknown.

• Soulless Flesh Zombies: These are fictional creatures, often depicted in horror movies and video games, that are reanimated corpses without consciousness or free will, driven only by a primal instinct to feed on living flesh. They are typically infected by a virus or parasite that causes their death and resurrection. Unlike other types of zombies, they do not have any special abilities or characteristics, and another entity or individual does not control them.

The Last of Us TV Series

The Last of Us is the latest TV series involving zombies. It is based on the popular video game of the same name, which follows the journey of a smuggler and a teenage girl in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal infection that turns humans into mindless cannibals.

I watched the entire TV series, and it was really good. I highly recommend it.

Some people talked about the possibility of getting infected by a fungus one day, as climate change may alter the fungus to pass on to humans. Would it be possible to pass it along to humans? The short answer: No. The fungus cannot live at a temperature of 98.6.

I had written about a possible zombie-fungi pandemic on my Subtrack. Feel free to click below to read about it.

In The Last of Us universe, the zombies, or "infected," are caused by a fungus called Cordyceps. The fungus infects the host's brain, causing them to lose control of their body and become aggressive towards uninfected individuals. The infected are not undead but still alive, albeit with severely impaired mental faculties. They also do not feed on living flesh but attack humans and animals frenziedly.

Did you know they have four stages after being infected with Cordyceps fungal, which is real, in The Last of Us universe?

The Last of Us depicts four stages of infection caused by Cordyceps fungus:

1. Runners: Early-stage infected that are still relatively human-like in behavior and appearance. They are called runners because they are quicker and more agile than other infected types but not as strong or aggressive as clickers or bloaters. Runners can still see and hear and are attracted to sound and movement. If they get too close, they will attack and bite creatures. Runners are not as dangerous as other infected types, but they can still be deadly in groups or when encountered in confined spaces.

2. Stalkers: Infected individuals who have entered the second stage of the infection. They are more dangerous and harder to detect than runners, as they can move quietly and hide behind cover. They are also more aggressive and will attack in groups, making them a significant threat to survivors. Stalkers are still alive, but their mental faculties and physical appearance are severely altered, making them almost unrecognizable from their former selves.

3. Clickers: Blind infected who rely on echolocation to detect their prey. They are more dangerous than runners and stalkers and can kill a survivor in one hit. They are also immune to stealth kills and can only be killed by attacking their heads, which are covered by a thick layer of fungus.

4. Bloaters: Infected individuals who have entered the final stage of the infection. They are heavily armored and can withstand much damage, making them harder to kill than other infected types. They also can launch spore bombs, which can damage and disorient their enemies. Bloaters are still alive, but their mental faculties and physical appearance are severely altered, making them almost unrecognizable from their former selves.

As I mentioned, my fascination with zombies and their portrayal in films has led me to delve deeper into the topic. Through my research, I have discovered a wealth of information that has expanded my knowledge on the subject. Specifically, I have come across some intriguing concepts related to animal zombies.

Can animals be zombies?

Let's explore the question: Can animals be zombies?

Although there is no concrete evidence of a virus or parasite that can cause animals to become true zombies, it is important to note that there are cases of diseases and parasites that can alter an animal's behavior in ways that are eerily reminiscent of zombie-like traits.

Sometimes, these changes can be drastic and even life-threatening to the animal. For example, certain parasites can cause an infected animal to become more reckless, thus increasing their chances of being preyed upon by predators. Other diseases can cause an animal to become disoriented and confused, leading to them wandering, almost as if in a trance.

While these changes may not be as extreme as those seen in the movies, the fact remains that they are still alarming and can have serious consequences for both the animal and its surrounding ecosystem.

Here are some examples:

• Rabies: Rabies is a viral disease affecting mammals' central nervous system. It causes symptoms such as fever, aggression, confusion, paralysis, and death. Rabies can be transmitted through saliva or blood from an infected animal to another animal or human. Rabies can make an animal act more violently and bite more often, which could increase the chances of spreading the infection. However, rabies does not cause an animal to die and reanimate as a zombie.

• Sleeping sickness: A parasitic disease caused by protozoa called trypanosomes. It affects humans and animals in Africa. It causes symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, insomnia, confusion, coma, and death. Sleeping sickness can be transmitted by biting an insect called a tsetse fly. Sleeping sickness can make an animal act more lethargic and lose coordination, making it more vulnerable to predators or other threats.

• Zombie ants: Zombie ants have been infected by a fungus called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. The fungus grows inside the ant's body and takes control of its brain. It forces the ant to climb up a plant stem and bite down on a leaf vein with its mandibles. The ant then dies and remains attached to the leaf while the fungus grows out of its head and releases spores that can infect other ants. The fungus manipulates the ant's behavior to ensure its reproduction.

• Zombie wasps: Zombie wasps have been stung by another wasp called Ampulex compressa. The sting injects venom into the brain of the victim wasp (usually a cockroach) and paralyzes its front legs. The attacker wasp then drags the victim wasp to its nest, where it lays an egg inside its abdomen. The egg hatches into a larva that feeds on the internal organs of the victim wasp while keeping it alive for several days until it emerges as an adult wasp. The attacker wasp uses the victim wasp as a living food source for its offspring.

• Zombie deer: Recent studies have shown that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) affects deer, elk, and moose and has caused concern among hunters, conservationists, and the public due to its high prevalence and strange behaviors of infected deer. An abnormal protein that causes CWD is called a prion, which affects the brain and nervous system of the animals, eventually leading to their death. Although there is no cure, researchers are working to prevent its spread and find a cure for this devastating disease. While there is no evidence that CWD can infect humans, it is still a cause for concern among wildlife populations and hunters.

• Zombie caterpillars: Zombie caterpillars have been infected with a virus known as baculovirus. The virus causes the caterpillar's muscles to break down, spreading the virus throughout the body. Eventually, the caterpillar dies, and its body becomes a breeding ground for the virus, which is then spread to other caterpillars.

• Zombie cockroach(?): Ampulex compressa, a type of wasp, can create zombie cockroaches. The wasp injects venom into the cockroach's brain, paralyzing its front legs. The wasp then drags the cockroach to its nest, where it lays an egg inside its abdomen. The egg hatches into a larva that feeds on the internal organs of the cockroach while keeping it alive for several days until it emerges as an adult wasp. The wasp uses the cockroach as a living food source for its offspring.

• Zombie Crayfish(?): While there is no evidence of crayfish zombies in nature, there are cases of crayfish infected with a fungus called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. This fungus grows inside the crayfish's body and takes control of its brain, causing it to leave its burrow and climb up to the surface. The fungus then grows out of the crayfish's body and releases spores that can infect other crayfish. While this behavior is not exactly like a zombie's, it alters the crayfish's behavior like other zombie-like traits.

• Zombie mice(?): Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that can infect mice and other mammals, including humans. It can alter the behavior of infected mice, making them more attracted to the scent of cat urine, which increases their likelihood of being eaten by a cat and thus spreads the parasite to its next host. However, this does not result in true zombification, as the mice do not die and reanimate as mindless undead creatures.

As you can see, the world of animal zombies is a fascinating and complex one, and there is still much to be learned. In light of this, I believe it is important to continue exploring this topic and uncovering new information.

Conclusion

As we have seen, some examples of diseases and parasites can affect an animal's behavior in ways that resemble zombie-like traits, such as aggression, lethargy, mind control, and parasitism. However, none of these cases result in true zombification, as none of them cause an animal to die and reanimate as a mindless undead creature that feeds on living flesh and spreads infection. Therefore, we can conclude that animals cannot be zombies, at least not according to our current understanding of science and nature.