Our Beloved Canadian Moose

By making winters warmer and shorter, humans have indeed contributed to the increase in winter tick populations and their negative impact on moose. Let’s break it down:

Climate change has created conditions that allow ticks to thrive, posing a painful and significant ecological problem on moose in both Canada and the northern U.S. Efforts to mitigate climate change and manage tick infestations are crucial if we are to protect moose populations as the world warms.

How Climate Change Influences Ticks
​Shorter Winters:

• In areas like Canada, where winters are now approximately 19 days shorter, there’s less prolonged cold weather to kill off tick larvae and adults.
• This allows more ticks to survive through their lifecycle and reproduce, leading to higher population densities in subsequent seasons.

Milder Winters:

• Ticks are highly sensitive to extreme cold. Historically, harsh winters with consistent snow cover would naturally reduce tick numbers.
• Warmer temperatures and less snow mean ticks can remain active for longer periods, especially during the fall when larvae are seeking hosts like moose.

Extended Tick Activity:

• Climate change has extended the window during which ticks can attach to hosts. Moose may encounter larvae over a longer period, leading to heavier infestations.

Impact on Moose

• As winter ticks thrive, moose face increasing burdens. The result is higher calf mortality, increased adult stress, and population declines in some areas.
• "Ghost moose" syndrome (caused by excessive grooming due to ticks) is becoming more common, leaving animals vulnerable to hypothermia and malnutrition.

Long-Term Trends

• Without interventions, the warming trend could further exacerbate the issue, as moose and ticks become even more mismatched in their ecological relationship.
• This is a concerning feedback loop: climate change enables ticks to flourish, which harms moose populations, potentially altering entire ecosystems.

Conclusion
Rather than decreasing tick populations, climate change has created conditions that allow them to thrive, posing a significant ecological and conservation challenge in regions like Canada and the northern U.S. Efforts to mitigate climate change and manage tick infestations are crucial to protecting moose populations.

SOURCES

• https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jwmg.22551?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_Maine
• https://blogs.unb.ca/newsroom/2018/06/unb-researchers-take-part-in-jdi-funded-study-examining-impacts-of-winter-ticks-on-moose
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermacentor_albipictus
•  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moose