Winter ticks are literally sucking the life out of Canadian moose. Across British Columbia, moose have suffered immensely from the winter tick infestation as the parasites latch on and feast. Wildlife biologists have found moose covered in thousands of ticks engorged on the animal’s blood, causing it to lose body mass and, ultimately, waste away.

“Basically, a lot of moose die from starvation,” Dustin Walsh told The Globe and Mail. Walsh, a B.C. biologist, is trying to figure out how far the ticks have spread and how to save the iconic animal. “By the time you come upon a dead moose, it has almost no body mass. The ticks draw that much blood.”

While ticks feed on all types of ungulates, moose tend to be their primary target and can cause moose to lose anywhere from 25% to 80% of their thick winter coat, depending on the level of infestation, according to The Globe and Mail. Biologists are especially concerned about these pesky parasites as spring arrives and, with it, moose calves. There is an increased likelihood of high calf mortality should winter ticks continue to thrive.

While ticks blanket other regions within North America, so far, no one has been able to halt them in their tracks. Yet, BC biologists want to take action, not just gather data and watch the destruction continue. Instead, they are looking for solutions, including the consideration of controlled burning this summer in areas where moose traffic is highest. Other less practical ideas have been suggested, but nothing that is truly being considered.

“It is our biggest game species, and an iconic animal,” Walsh told The Globe and Mail. “There are moose in parts of Europe, but nobody has them like we do.”