Danger! Report ticks: Nature Conservation Association calls for the action!

Danger! Report ticks: Nature Conservation Association calls for the action!

In Brandenburg, the Nature Conservation Association Germany (NABU) calls on the population to report found ticks. This initiative is not only a request for attention, but also part of a more comprehensive project for analyzing the tick spread in the context of climate change. The NABU invites the citizens to photograph ticks that they find in the knee or armpit, for example,. It is important that the ticks are removed before taking pictures to enable the exact species determination. The campaign takes place in cooperation with the Hanover veterinary university and aims to examine the spread of Buntzecke and other species that can transmit potentially dangerous diseases, such as Lyme-Borreliosis and TBE.

The topic is particularly for the districts of Elbe-Elster, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Oder-Spree, Spree-Neiße and Frankfurt or relevant, as these are considered TBE risk areas. According to n-tv, the ticks are not only discovered in forests, but also in parks and zoos, which emphasizes the spread by various environments. The Wiesenzecke and the common wooden buck are the main causes of human tick bites, and the moisture and the moderate temperatures offer you ideal living conditions.

growing health risks

The spread of ticks and their carriers are additionally favored by climate change. According to a new report by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), global warming increases the risk of infectious diseases, since the temperatures favor the increase of bacteria and virus transmissions such as ticks. It is forecast that new tick types, such as the hyalomma tick, will be more and more common in Germany and that serious illnesses such as stain fever can transmit. Tagesschau reports that two thirds of the pathogens of infectious diseases are considered to be climate-sensitively.

In addition, tropical species such as the Asian tiger mosquito are already at home in southwestern regions of Germany and in cities like Berlin. This mosquito can transmit dangerous viruses such as dengue and zika viruses. The consequences of climate change are therefore far-reaching and are all the more important to clarify the population about tick protection and the TBE vaccination.

A call to participate

The NABU campaign for the message of ticks not only represents an important contribution to research, but also illustrates that everyone can make a contribution. Animal owners are asked to report ticks from their pets. The photos that citizens make available help to categorize the different types of ticks better and to analyze their distribution.

As part of the increasing challenges of climate change, health authorities are faced with the task of adapting to an increase in infection cases. Heat waves are already a health risk, especially for older people and people with previous illnesses. With the increasing number of heat days and the spread of pathogens through ticks, the need to adapt the health system accordingly in order to effectively counter threatening health risks.

In Brandenburg, it is therefore important to be vigilant and actively act. Reporting ticks can be a simple but effective way to contribute to nature conservation and your own health. Only together can we master the challenges of climate change and contain the spread of ticks and their dangerous pathogens.