Winter ticks are causing severe illness in Maine\u2019s iconic moose population. A team of University of Maine researchers examine the biophysical and social impacts of ticks in a uniquely collaborative project.<\/p>\n
Pauline Kamath, an assistant professor of animal health, Sandra De Urioste-Stone, assistant professor of nature-based tourism and Anne Lichtenwalner, director of the cooperative extension veterinary diagnostic laboratory, are faculty overseeing the interdisciplinary research project centered around ticks. They are investigating the prevalence of tick-borne diseases in moose, and ticks on moose while also measuring public perception of tick-borne disease frequency.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are using an interdisciplinary approach to look at whether the perceived risk of infectious disease in key stakeholder groups aligns with the actual risk of disease from moose and their ticks,\u201d Kamath said.<\/p>\n
Kamath, Urioste-Stone and Lichtenwalner are guiding undergraduates Kyle Alamo, Jaycob Bowker, MacKenzie Conant, Carly Dickson, Asha DiMatteo, Kristie Pinto and graduate student James Elliott<\/a>. The students are from different schools of science at 91¸£Àû and are learning how to collect and process data.<\/p>\n