Blood-sucking ectoparasites have often a strong impact on the behaviour of their hosts. The annual insect harassment of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) has increased in the southern part of the Finnish reindeer herding area because of the recent invasion of a blood-feeding ectoparasitic louse-fly, the deer ked (Lipoptena cervi). We studied the impact of the deer ked on the behaviour of reindeer. Twelve reindeer were infested with a total of 300 keds/reindeer on six occasions in a 5-week period during the deer ked flight season in autumn, while six non-infested reindeer were used as controls. Behavioural patterns indicating potential stress were monitored by visual observation from August to December. The infested reindeer displayed more incidences of restless behaviour than the controls. Shaking and scratching were the most common forms of restless behaviour after infestation of deer keds. Increased grooming was also observed after the transplantation and also later, 1 month after the infestation. Based on the results, the deer ked infestation can cause acute behavioural disturbance in reindeer and, thus, could pose a potential threat to reindeer welfare. Antiparasitic treatment with, e.g. ivermectin, may increase the welfare of parasitized reindeer by reducing deer keds. If the deer ked infestation intensity on the reindeer herding area increases and restless behaviour of reindeer becomes more common, the present results can help in further evaluation of the duration and magnitude of behavioural changes.

Kynkäänniemi, S.-M., Kortet, R., Härkönen, L., Kaitala, A., Paakkonen, T., Mustonen, A.-M., Nieminen, P., Härkönen, S., Ylönen, H. & Laaksonen, S. 2010: Threat of an invasive parasitic fly, the deer ked (Lipoptena cervi ), to the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus): experimental infection and treatment. -Ann. Range expansion of ectoparasites can cause parasites to attack new host species. In these cases it is important for the parasite to be able to adapt to the new environment and to reproduce on the host. For the host, it is crucial to hinder successfully the development of long-lasting parasitic relationship. The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) is a novel ectoparasite for northern cervids. We investigated if the deer ked can use the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) as a host and, if it can, whether antiparasitic treatment against this parasite would be available. Three groups of reindeer were monitored: two groups of 6 reindeer were infected with 300 flies per each individual; a control group comprised 6 animals. One of the infected groups was treated with subcutaneous ivermectin. At the end of the experiment the infestation rate of the infected animals was low. The reindeer in the non-treated group had both live and dead deer keds and also a single pupa while the ivermectin-treated reindeer had only dead deer keds. As some deer keds survived and reproduced, the deer ked can potentially use the reindeer as a host but antiparasitic treatment may be effective against this parasite.

Rangifer tarandus, the northern species including both reindeer and caribou, is a pillar of northern ecosystems and the lives of northern peoples. As the only domestic cervid, reindeer are important not only to the herders and hunters who presently interact with them, but also to zooarchaeologists and palaeontologists tracing their histories. Unfortunately, limited anatomical information on Rangifer tarandus muscles is available beyond descriptions of the large muscle groups. The lower limb and hoof in particular is poorly documented. This is problematic, as this important body part has the potential to be informative in zooarchaeological analyses of habitual activity, especially in regards to historical animal health, movement, and habitual activity. Better understanding of the hoof can additionally be useful to herders and veterinarians seeking to provide veterinary care for living animals. This study has used dissections and comparisons of the reindeer hoof with other domestic ungulates to document both the common and unique structures in Rangifer tarandus hooves, including the presence and attachment points of these structures. As these structures have proved unique, especially in regards to the dewclaw, it is important that other ungulates not be used exclusively in the analysis of Rangifer tarandus remains.

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The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) is a harmful ectoparasite that emerged in the reindeer herding area of Finland in 2006. To understand the current range and the intensity of infestations on its novel reindeer host, we studied deer ked pupae collected from reindeer and moose bedding sites and conducted a questionnaire survey among the managers of 18 reindeer herding cooperatives in the southern part of the reindeer herding area. Our study confirmed that the deer ked can survive and successfully reproduce on reindeer through winter and that flying deer keds had been observed in reindeer wintering areas during several autumns in twelve cooperatives. The pupae originating from reindeer were smaller and showed lower hatching rates than the pupae from moose. The present results indicate that the range of the deer ked infestations on reindeer in Finland expanded during the recent 5 years, now reaching 14 cooperatives and bordering an area south of approximately 66°N 25°E in the west and 65°N 29°E east.