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A South Texas veterinarian says older generations remember when screwworm infestations took a toll on local deer populations. Now, wildlife officials are working to keep the parasite from spreading again and threatening Texas' $10 billion hunting industry.
State officials are asking Texans to help protect the state's white-tailed deer population from the spread of New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite spread by flies.
Texas is home to more than 5 million white-tailed deer, including some of the largest bucks in the country. The herd attracts hunters and wildlife enthusiasts from across the state and beyond.
Deer are among the wildlife vulnerable to screwworm infestations.
Dr. Gaylon Wilmeth-Burleson, a veterinarian in Dilley, said older generations of South Texans still remember the parasite's impact on wildlife before it was eradicated from the United States.
"My dad can tell me stories about, you know, when he was a kid, we didn't have a lot of deer down here anymore because of screw worm infestations," Wilmeth-Burleson told TPR's The Source.
The timing is particularly concerning because South Texas is in the middle of fawning season, when newborn deer are especially vulnerable to infestation.
"We are in the meat of the season," Wilmeth-Burleson said. "Fawns in South Texas are born mid June through the end of July. Most of our fawns in this part of the world are June, so we are right smack dab in baby time for our deer."
Wilmeth-Burleson said newborn fawns can become infected through their navels, much like newborn calves.
"It's the same thing, they get in the navel of the deer, and those little fawns can't overcome the screwworms, and nobody's doing treatment to their navels like we would do our cattle," she said.
Alan Cain, who directs the wildlife division of Texas Parks and Wildlife, said hunters, ranchers and others who spend time outdoors can play an important role in detecting cases.
"Folks using game cameras," he said, are one example of how Texans can watch for signs of screwworm illness in deer. "When they're sitting out in the evenings watching deer or other wildlife, those are good opportunities to observe and assess whether there might be wounds or injuries that look suspicious. If they are, we need folks to report those to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department."
Cain urged Texans to familiarize themselves with the signs of screwworm infestation and report suspected cases to Texas Parks and Wildlife.
"Obviously, it can start with a small wound, but as the fly lay those larvae and they begin to grow, it's just going to open up and eat a wound out," he said. "I mean there are plenty of pictures out there that folks can find on the internet."
State and federal officials are responding by releasing hundreds of millions of sterile male flies but say early detection and reporting will be critical to preventing isolated cases from becoming a larger threat to Texas deer.
