Heartbreaking pictures of deer covered in large tumours caused by HPV are captured by US photographer

A Minnesota photographer unexpectedly captured a deer covered in tumors as she shot portraits in a field and a nature official described it as one of the worst cases she'd seen in 15 years.

Julie Carrow pictured the animal that was covered in so many growths she was unable to see its eyes and it turns out the condition stems from papillomavirus, which is more commonly known as HPV in humans.

Images of the creature gazing at the camera sparked such a big reaction online that locals were desperate to catch up with it in case it needed help.

Various angles Carrow snapped show the lumps on the deer's face, neck, chest, belly, legs and rear.

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Julie Carrow pictured the animal that was covered in so many growths she was unable to see its eyes. She said of a July 25 sighting: 'He did not appear in any distress or malnourished'

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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Refuge personnel said the deer has a bad case of Fibromatosis, which stems from papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV in humans

The woman, who is also a nurse, told CityPages: 'This deer casually wandered past us. He did not appear in any distress or malnourished, though I couldn't see his eyes.'

Carrow posted on Facebook July 25: '1) has anyone see this little guy around town and 2) can anything be done to help him. This to me is just heartbreaking.'

The snaps were shared by the Big Bone Outdoors Facebook group and it was shared by more than 7,000 people.

Some social media users were worried the deer could be carrying an infectious illness while other suggested it was living a rough life even if that was not the case.

Kelli Miller commented: 'He has to be miserable. Id contact the DNR and have it put down.'

On person commented that they had also seen the creature.

'I saw him or her this spring. It crossed Hiawatha when I was going south from Good Sam,' Gen Lustfield wrote'. 'DNR should catch it and find out what it has so it doesn't spread to other deer, and treat it it.'

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'They are like warts. In time, they regress and fall off,' an official said but they won't be taking any action

Carrow later updated her followers saying Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Refuge personnel had contacted her after she reached out.

It emerged the deer has a bad case of Fibromatosis which is not contagious for humans and not fatal for deer.

However, the Quality Deer Management Association said the disease can affect a deer's sight, breathing, mobility and feeding. Therefore deer like this are at more risk of being caught by predators.

Carrow posted online: 'My hope is this disease can get some exposure to help the other deer to maybe cure or prevent this.'

But the DNR said it is 'not new' in Minnesota as 'we get photos just about every year showing deer with fibromas'. 

They won't be taking any action. 

'They are like warts. In time, they regress and fall off; however, in very extreme cases there can be complications. ...We will not interfere with nature in this case.' 

The department's Michelle Carstensen told Citypages the appearance makes the deer less likely to be killed by a human for flesh though.

'Its main significance lies in the consternation and concern experienced by the hunter who shoots a deer covered with ugly-looking lumps,' Carstensen said.

'Though they don't harm the meat, fibromas are repulsive to most persons and therefore render a fine trophy aesthetically undesirable.'