It turns out the biggest threat to America's big game herds may not be environmental damage or even chronic wasting disease. Instead, a small unassuming threat could devastate wildlife if an outbreak happens.
We're talking about the parasite called the New World screwworm. The United States halted cattle coming from Mexico in mid-May due to fears of the parasite taking root in America. If the screwworm becomes commonplace in the US, the cattle industry won't be the only thing affected. Big game herds also face devastation.
"The health and sustainability of North America's deer populations are paramount to our mission," said Nick Pinizzotto, President and CEO of the National Deer Association (NDA), in a prepared statement. "The re-emergence of the New World screwworm poses a significant threat not only to livestock but also to our nation's wildlife, especially deer."
Big Game Herds In Danger
It wouldn't be the first time that screwworms have targeted big game herds in America. Past outbreaks killed plenty of deer, enough in fact to "to suppress deer population growth in many regions, especially Florida and Texas." Previously, scientists have managed to fight back against and contain screwworm outbreaks.
Releasing sterile male flies has been the go-to method for curbing the invasion of the parasites. But still, the fear of an outbreak has people on edge.
"As a life-long resident of Texas, this one hit home for me," said Corey Mason, the Wild Sheep Foundation's VP of Conservation & COO. "I recall the horror stories from the last outbreak back in the 1960s and with our recent efforts to re-establish desert bighorn sheep in Texas, not to mention what this means for cattle, mule deer and whitetail deer, this situation must be dealt with swiftly."
Big game herds like the bighorn sheep are already facing enough as it is.
"NWS not only affects the cattle industry in Texas but will have detrimental effects on our native wildlife as well. The Desert Bighorn Sheep (DBS) population in Texas has suffered devastating die offs recently from exotic invasive aoudad. A NWS infestation would have catastrophic effects on the remaining population, potentially extirpating the species entirely." stated Sam Cunningham, WSF Director and President of Texas Bighorn Society.
So here's hoping this doesn't become an issue.
