Gamekeepers and moorland managers are reporting a massive increase in the number of ticks in the countryside, resulting in an increased risk of Lyme disease.
In summer 2023 the number of Lyme disease cases reported in the UK increased by a third.
Ticks are small blood-sucking arachnids that attach themselves to animals and humans and can spread a range of diseases.
Simon Gurney, regional officer for the Moorland Association in the Peak District, said: “The proliferation of ticks in the countryside has been evident for some time but over the past two years the situation has deteriorated significantly. We are seeing people and dogs absolutely covered in ticks as soon as they step out of their car in some areas. The risk of disease is alarming.
“Our members use a variety of tactics to reduce the tick population but we can’t solve this problem alone. We would urge all those involved in land management to join us in addressing this risk across the whole of northern England, or face an epidemic of chronic disease.”
Current land management practices that allow vegetation to grow unchecked are an exacerbating factor, providing ideal habitat for ticks, often across vast areas.
The severity of Lyme disease varies, but it can be debilitating and if untreated may lead to chronic disease, with symptoms including fatigue, headaches, facial droop and joint pain.
Twenty years ago there were only around 250 reported cases of Lyme disease in the UK each year, but this has risen to 2,000 to 3,000 laboratory-confirmed cases and some charities believe the actual number could be as high as 45,000, because diagnosis can be problematic.
Ticks are a major problem for animals too, from livestock to pets and wild animals.
Birds which nest on the ground are often subject to tick infestation, with one curlew chick found dead with 67 attached ticks.
Dogs can also suffer from fever and lethargy following a tick bite.
Both sheep and red grouse are affected by louping-ill virus, also carried by ticks, with grouse mortality rates as high as 80 per cent.
The vaccine that was previously administered to animals to protect against louping-ill virus has not been available for several years, further hampering efforts to protect animals and people.
The Moorland Association has been working with the Moredun Institute , GWCT and others to try to develop a vaccine. Moredun research has produced an effective vaccine but moving to a commercially available vaccine is proving very difficult and expensive . MA members have made a significant financial contribution to this important research.
Reductions in sheep grazing, often required under countryside stewardship schemes, are also a major part of the problem going forward, as the use of sheep as ‘tick mops’ was an effective control method.
Members of the Moorland Association also manage vegetation to limit ticks’ preferred breeding grounds.
Bracken is closely associated with tick proliferation, as reported by the UK Health & Safety Agency. Moorland Association members have treated over 65 square miles of invasive bracken to stop it engulfing other moorland plants and to reduce the vegetation available for ticks.
Other tactics adopted by grouse moor owners include sheep dipping, heather burning and vegetation cutting. These are all proven to substantially reduce tick numbers.
Simon Gurney continued: “At a time when we are all being encouraged – quite rightly – to get out and enjoy the countryside more, we need to address the risk of disease from ticks. Letting huge areas of bracken, bramble and ferns grow unchecked is a recipe for disaster. Farmers, gamekeepers and rural workers are all reporting a rise in cases of Lyme disease. We have to ask ourselves whether the current trend for ‘rewilding’ is harmful to people who live and work in the countryside.”