Ghost moose showing significant hair loss from a tick infestation in Maine

Moose populations (Alces alces) in New England are experiencing reduced birth rates, and lower than normal calf and adult survival caused by severe winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) infestations. In the early spring of bad years, it is common to see “Ghost Moose” which are skeletal, and nearly hairless. The ghastly appearance of these moose combined with the population effects of the ticks has caused alarm by moose managers and the public in affected area. 

USGS researchers at the Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, on the campus of University of Massachusetts, are partnering with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, University of New Hampshire, and the Penobscot Nation, to monitor winter tick distribution and abundance and help understand effective adaptation and mitigation strategies to prevent negative effects on moose populations.