Two peer-reviewed studies now confirm what many pest professionals have suspected for years: the climate conditions that suit Australia’s paralysis tick are spreading well beyond its traditionally mapped range. For homeowners in suburbs once considered low-risk, that means the “safe zone” they grew up with may no longer apply.
What the Research Found
A 2021 study published in Nature’s Scientific Reports used ecological niche modelling to map where the eastern paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) — the species responsible for potentially fatal tick paralysis in dogs, cats and occasionally people — can currently survive, and where it’s likely to survive by 2050. Researchers from the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas found that suitable habitat already extends well beyond the traditional east-coast strip, reaching much of southern coastal Australia, the area south of Perth through to Albany in Western Australia, and most of Tasmania, a state where the tick isn’t yet established. Their 2050 projections show a moderate overall increase in suitable habitat under future climate conditions, with some regional losses but little net shrinkage in the tick’s total range.
Ticks don’t stay outdoors — pets and shoes carry them straight into the living room.
Global Warming Is Reshaping Tick Ranges Worldwide
A second, broader study published in 2025 in the Journal of Environmental Management modelled the global distribution of 28 major pathogenic tick species, including the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), which has already expanded dramatically from its native East Asia into Australia, New Zealand, several Pacific islands and, more recently, the United States. The researchers found that under higher-emissions climate scenarios, tick-suitable habitat is projected to keep expanding, driven largely by shifting temperature and rainfall patterns. The study reinforces a consistent theme across the tick research: warmer, wetter conditions are giving more tick species more places to establish.
Why Previously “Safe” Suburbs May Now Be at Risk
For decades, Australian households have relied on rough regional rules of thumb — “we’re too far from the bush,” “ticks are an east-coast problem,” “our winters are too cold.” The new modelling suggests those assumptions are becoming less reliable. Anecdotal reports already point to rising tick paralysis cases in urban parts of southeast Queensland, and the same climatic shift behind that trend is what’s opening up new territory further south and west. A pet or family that has never had a tick problem doesn’t mean the property is immune — it may simply not have been in the risk zone yet.
What This Means for Pets and Family Safety
Tick paralysis remains one of the more serious risks the paralysis tick poses, particularly to dogs and cats, and it can also affect children and other family members. Because the toxin is delivered gradually while a tick feeds, early symptoms — a change in a pet’s bark or voice, wobbliness, vomiting, or loss of appetite — are easy to miss until the condition becomes serious. As suitable habitat expands into new suburbs, more households are being exposed to this risk for the first time, often without knowing the warning signs to watch for.
Signs Your Area Could Be in the New Risk Zone
- You’re within coastal or near-coastal southern Australia, southwestern WA, or Tasmania
- Your property backs onto bushland, long grass, or dense garden vegetation
- Native wildlife (possums, bandicoots, wallabies) regularly passes through your yard
- Neighbours or local vets have reported more tick-related pet issues recently
- You’ve noticed milder, wetter conditions in what used to be a drier or cooler season
Climate change doesn’t wait — and neither should your tick protection.
What Homeowners Can Do
- Get a professional property assessment, especially if you’re in a region newly flagged as climatically suitable for ticks
- Clear long grass, leaf litter and dense undergrowth where ticks shelter
- Check pets after they’ve been outdoors, and treat them with a vet-recommended tick preventative
- Do regular tick checks on children after time in the garden or bushland
- Book a professional tick treatment ahead of the spring–summer peak rather than after a bite occurs
Personal precautions help, but ticks live and breed in garden vegetation, which is why treating the property itself is the most effective way to reduce numbers before they become a problem. See our Learn About Ticks resource, our Tick Bite First Aid guide, and our service areas to check coverage near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this research mean my suburb definitely has ticks now?
Not necessarily. The studies model climatic suitability — the conditions ticks need to survive — not confirmed presence everywhere. Suitability expanding into an area means it could support ticks, especially if they’re introduced by wildlife or travelling pets, not that every property is already affected.
Is the eastern paralysis tick the only species affected by climate change?
No. The 2025 global study found that many pathogenic tick species are shifting their ranges under warming and changing rainfall, including species like the Asian longhorned tick, which has already spread well beyond its original range.
What’s the most dangerous tick-related risk for Australian pets?
Tick paralysis, caused by a toxin in the eastern paralysis tick’s saliva, is the primary concern for dogs and cats in Australia and can be fatal without prompt veterinary treatment.
When should I get my property assessed?
Any time is reasonable, but assessing before the spring–summer peak gives the best head start, particularly if you’re in a region the research suggests is newly suitable for ticks.
Sources: Nature Scientific Reports (2021), Journal of Environmental Management (2025)
