Richard you are very lucky in Alaska that you do not have to deal with "Winter Ticks" as we do now in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. They have decimated our Moose population.

That’s sadly true Steve. Folks should look it up and see how terrible a plague it is on our moose. It is disgusting just to see the pictures of a moose fully covered with them.





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If you want to read more about the winter tick effect on New England moose, read this. https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...1017080814.htm

We are fortunate, indeed, but they are into northern BC and the Yukon and are headed our way. We now have several kinds of ticks in Alaska, but in small numbers so far. I read something on ticks on reindeer or caribou in Canada where researchers counted something like 44,000 ticks on a single animal. It was a disgusting sight for sure.

And another good read from the NH Fish and Game Department

https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/wil...ose/study.html

So, has there been no equivalent to emerge in the Northern part of this hemisphere of the African Tick-Bird, or Oxpecker?

I am surprised that nothing natural has developed to off-set this ghastly proliferation of ticks on such a big, long-legged mammal. A Moose may offer an accommodating surface for parasites, but should also present a blatant food source for a parasite-eating bird to counter this plague.

What biologically has prevented it?

This has to be a different cow in today, as she brought along a yearling calf. Another cow was in earlier. My brush piles are very popular lately.

Is it common for cow moose to have what look like pedicels?

That one certainly looks pregnant too.





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pedicel ? That's a botanical term for a stalk with a single flower... What am I missing here? Are you referring to antler 'stubs'? I do see light colored spots where they would be. Can't imagine it's a bull but you never know. Those spots do look suspicious. Perhaps the transgender movement has made it into the moose world and she's transitioning!

The pedicel is the spot on the head/skull from which the antler generates. The 'growing point'.





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