Help sought for moose tick survey

Members of the public are being asked to help document moose winter tick infestations by completing an online survey.

It will help B.C.'s wildlife health staff monitor the number of moose affected with these ticks and the extent to which they affect moose around the province, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations said in a bulletin issued Tuesday.

"Winter tick infestations are generally observed on moose from January through April," the ministry said. "Tick infestations can sometimes result in severe behavioural and physiological changes and directly impact the survival rates of moose, especially in younger animals."

Survey participants are asked to observe the amount of hair loss, if any, occurring on moose and check the survey box which most describes the animal - ranging from "no loss" to "ghost" which means hair loss over most of the body or 80 per cent of winter hair.

Winter ticks go through three life stages over the winter on one moose and there can tens of thousands on one animal.

As the ticks mature, they feed on the animal's blood and can cause anemia. In late winter, the irritation from ticks causes moose to scratch and groom themselves excessively, resulting in hair loss and less time spent foraging.

Anyone interested in contributing to the surveillance program can obtain a copy of the survey online at http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/wildlife/wildlife-health/wildlife-health-matters/moose-health/moose-winter-tick-survey or by emailing [email protected].