Drought fails to dull tick harms to young moose

MAINE PUBLIC • June 17, 2026

Winter ticks took a heavy toll on young moose again this year despite hopes that a fall drought would help kill off some of the parasites. Lee Kantar, a moose biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife collared moose calves had a 72% mortality rate this year because of high numbers of winter ticks. Tens of thousands of ticks can attach to a single moose. The parasites only prey on a single host through their life cycle and their feeding can be deadly to young moose and reduce fertility in adult females.