Researcher finds public support in study of brainworm transmission in moose

As first reported in September here on WTIP, a University of Minnesota professor is hoping to raise money to research the parasite that's devastating Minnesota’s moose population.

As of Nov. 6, that goal has been surpassed.

Dr. Tiffany Wolf from the University of Minnesota set up a crowdfunding site to see if the public had interest in supporting her efforts to study the decline of Minnesota’s moose population. The parasite is called brainworm, and it typically breeds inside the brains of white-tailed deer. When the parasite passes to moose, Wolf said, it can be deadly.

More than $6,400 has been contributed to Wolf’s research that will focus on snails and slugs in northeastern Minnesota and how they might spread brainworm in moose. And while the funding goal has been met, Wolf points out that those interested in contributing to research about Minnesota’s moose can still play an active role and can contribute financially to the research.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Wolf about the ongoing efforts to learn more about brainworm transmission in Minnesota’s moose.