In a video that tugs at our heartstrings and also grosses us out, a dead deer appears to be swarming with thousands of ticks. Kip Adams, Chief Conservation Officer at the National Deer Association, shared the video online.
It quickly went viral. Speaking with Outdoor Life, Adams shared a warning with hunters and the public at large. The deer was used as part of a necropsy study on decomposition. However, the results were something he wasn't expecting.
"I've been a wildlife biologist for about 30 years," Adams told the outlet. "I've seen some crazy and cool stuff across the country. But I've never seen anything quite like that."
Adams was horrified by the number of ticks.
Thousands Of Ticks
"I looked down and couldn't believe the number of ticks. There were thousands of them. I pulled out my phone because I wanted to share it with my colleagues at work," Adams says. "I didn't expect it to blow up online like it did."
Adams warns that ticks can be fatal to fawns during the first days of life.
"Young fawns don't move much. That's their survival mechanism," Adams says. "In areas that have lots of ticks, they will just cover the fawns. They'll be all around their eyes, nose, and mouth. In those cases, ticks can actually kill fawns."
But the larger concern is for people. The insects carry a host of nasty diseases that can be transmitted through a bite.
"I think part of it is that our climate is just warmer than it's been in the past," Adams says. "That has allowed ticks to move much farther north. They are also active for more of the year. Black-legged ticks, for example, can be active any time the temperature is above 32 degrees."
So next time you go out, be sure to be on the lookout. It just might help protect your health. After all, no one wants to be allergic to red meat.
"This isn't just something that just impacts hunters," he says. "It impacts anybody who wants to go outside. Increased tick populations and the spread of tick-borne diseases impact all citizens of the U.S."
