Winter Ticks 😝

If moose didn't have enough already to try and deal with through our harsh winters, but the also have to deal with winter ticks! Look at the large tufts of fur missing from this one.

Something about winter ticks

Winter ticks feed on ungulate blood, particularly cervids. They mainly affect moose and to a lesser extent elk. They may be found on white-tailed deer, but their presence does not usually cause significant problems in this species. The impact of winter ticks on caribou in natural habitats remains little known.

Winter ticks can be observed on other animal species (domestic or wild), but this parasite causes little damage to these other species.

The winter tick can be found in tens of thousands on a single moose. It causes several problems such as:

hair loss and appearance of wounds;
blood loss;
weight loss and poor physical condition;
abnormal behaviour (confusion or presence outside of its natural habitat).