scooter
04-04-2007, 06:41 PM
Title story in the Edmonton Journal Today....Not good.
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=10577382-516f-47d9-937d-88e22ee14c55&k=58950
Infested animals weaken, die
Many succumb to exposure or malnutrition amid worst outbreak in eight years
Jim Farrell, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Wednesday, April 04, 2007
EDMONTON - Infestations of itchy, blood-sucking ticks are taking a growing toll on moose in northwestern Alberta this spring.
"The last major event like this was in 1999," Lyle Fullerton of Alberta Fish and Wildlife said Tuesday from Peace River.
One reason for the problem was last year's mild spring, which allowed blood-fattened, pregnant wood ticks to fall off their prey onto dry leafy matter. Newborn ticks fattened on lush vegetation throughout the summer, and with the coming of fall, looked for other quarters.
Tick-infested moose will rub against trees and rocks until almost bald. This one died after wandering into a feedlot north of Peace River.
Tick-infested moose will rub against trees and rocks until almost bald. This one died after wandering into a feedlot north of Peace River.
"From September until November, as moose walked through the vegetation they picked up the ticks, which burrowed into their long hairs to suck up their blood, and the cycle repeated itself," Fullerton said.
A second killer is this year's unusually cold spring and thick snow cover, Fullerton says. A tick-infested moose will constantly rub against trees and rocks until almost bald.
Weakened and unable to keep warm or forage for food, the animals take refuge in a barn, garage or feedlot -- bringing an irritable moose into conflict with humans.
"Moose in severe stress can result in 800 to 1,000 pounds of bad attitude chasing people and dogs," said Fullerton. "We respond to public safety, and at times have to kill the moose if it will not respond to aversion such as noise and rubber bullets."
Many moose die of exposure or malnutrition in backyards and shelters. Those that don't often have to be put down, either because they're too weak to live or they present a risk to people.
"We had an officer who was attending a complaint last week in the city of Grande Prairie and he was charged by the moose, Fullerton said. "That officer had to kill him.
"About 10 days ago an individual was plowing snow with a tractor when a moose charged the tractor. That one was put down as well."
Domestic cattle and horses as well as deer are largely immune to tick infestations, however.
"That may be because their hairs are much shorter so they are able to groom them off," Fullerton said. "White-tail deer also rarely carry ticks because they are able to lick them off when they groom."
A single moose can carry as many as 40,000 ticks burrowed deep within its longer coat. Normally, calves and sickened animals are most at risk. In recent days, because of the return of winter weather and temperatures as low as -16, a growing number of large adult moose are falling prey to tick-related problems such as hypothermia and anti-social behaviour.
But there is one upside for moose in this spring's cold, Fullerton says: When blood-fattened pregnant female ticks drop off their prey, most will perish in the snow.
jfarrell@thejournal.canwest.com
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=10577382-516f-47d9-937d-88e22ee14c55&k=58950
Infested animals weaken, die
Many succumb to exposure or malnutrition amid worst outbreak in eight years
Jim Farrell, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Wednesday, April 04, 2007
EDMONTON - Infestations of itchy, blood-sucking ticks are taking a growing toll on moose in northwestern Alberta this spring.
"The last major event like this was in 1999," Lyle Fullerton of Alberta Fish and Wildlife said Tuesday from Peace River.
One reason for the problem was last year's mild spring, which allowed blood-fattened, pregnant wood ticks to fall off their prey onto dry leafy matter. Newborn ticks fattened on lush vegetation throughout the summer, and with the coming of fall, looked for other quarters.
Tick-infested moose will rub against trees and rocks until almost bald. This one died after wandering into a feedlot north of Peace River.
Tick-infested moose will rub against trees and rocks until almost bald. This one died after wandering into a feedlot north of Peace River.
"From September until November, as moose walked through the vegetation they picked up the ticks, which burrowed into their long hairs to suck up their blood, and the cycle repeated itself," Fullerton said.
A second killer is this year's unusually cold spring and thick snow cover, Fullerton says. A tick-infested moose will constantly rub against trees and rocks until almost bald.
Weakened and unable to keep warm or forage for food, the animals take refuge in a barn, garage or feedlot -- bringing an irritable moose into conflict with humans.
"Moose in severe stress can result in 800 to 1,000 pounds of bad attitude chasing people and dogs," said Fullerton. "We respond to public safety, and at times have to kill the moose if it will not respond to aversion such as noise and rubber bullets."
Many moose die of exposure or malnutrition in backyards and shelters. Those that don't often have to be put down, either because they're too weak to live or they present a risk to people.
"We had an officer who was attending a complaint last week in the city of Grande Prairie and he was charged by the moose, Fullerton said. "That officer had to kill him.
"About 10 days ago an individual was plowing snow with a tractor when a moose charged the tractor. That one was put down as well."
Domestic cattle and horses as well as deer are largely immune to tick infestations, however.
"That may be because their hairs are much shorter so they are able to groom them off," Fullerton said. "White-tail deer also rarely carry ticks because they are able to lick them off when they groom."
A single moose can carry as many as 40,000 ticks burrowed deep within its longer coat. Normally, calves and sickened animals are most at risk. In recent days, because of the return of winter weather and temperatures as low as -16, a growing number of large adult moose are falling prey to tick-related problems such as hypothermia and anti-social behaviour.
But there is one upside for moose in this spring's cold, Fullerton says: When blood-fattened pregnant female ticks drop off their prey, most will perish in the snow.
jfarrell@thejournal.canwest.com