The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the first detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in wildlife in the United States, in an elk in Pecos County, Texas. The elk was located by a hunter on a game ranch.
The Texas Animal Health Commission will be modifying a previously established infested zone, and USDA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be conducting additional wildlife surveillance in the area.
As hunting seasons continue across Texas and other States, hunters are encouraged to stay alert for signs of NWS when observing, harvesting, or processing wildlife.
Indicators of an infestation include visible maggots (larvae) in wounds or body openings, open, draining, or enlarging wounds, foul-smelling injuries, animals that appear weak, lethargic, isolated, or in distress, and signs of infestation around the nose, mouth, ears, eyes, or genital areas.
Should hunters see anything suspicious, it should be reported immediately to help animal health officials respond quickly and helps limit the pest’s spread.