Winter ticks wiped out nearly 90% of the moose calves scientists tracked in part of Maine last year

Maine is home to the largest moose population in the lower 48 states. But in one of the moosiest corners of the state, nearly 90% of the calves tracked by biologists last winter didn’t survive their their first year. And the culprit? A tiny critter that is thriving in parts of Maine as the climate warms. Winter ticks have been pestering Maine moose for a century and likely longer. But their numbers have exploded. It’s not uncommon for biologists or hunters to find moose infested with 40,000, 75,000 or even 90,000 ticks. Some infested moose rub themselves virtually bald trying to scrape off the irritating ticks, creating the phenomenon known as “ghost moose.”