Moose Tick Infestation
Moose tick infestation is a skin disease caused by winter ticks. The winter tick is a parasite to ungulates such as elk, white-tailed deer, bison, mules, caribou and moose. However, it is known to cause disease only among elk, caribou and moose. An infected moose can carry a large number of winter ticks at one time. Calves are particularly susceptible.
Winter tick eggs hatch into larvae in summer and attach themselves to hosts in autumn. The ticks remain attached to the host throughout their life cycle. Larvae take a blood meal in the fall and molt into nymphs. By January, nymphs take a blood meal and molt into adults. Symptoms appear in late winter and spring, as adult ticks drop off the host to lay eggs. The infected moose grooms intensively. The animal may have patches of missing fur from scraping to dislodge the ticks. Although the ticks are not known to transmit diseases to their host, severe infestation may lead to death through emaciation and hypothermia.
Moose tick infestation is common in North America. Winter ticks were first discovered in 1869 and are known to remain with one host throughout their life cycles.