US deploys 200 drones to hunt flesh-eating screwworms in Texas

At least 200 drones operated by the US Department of Homeland Security have been redirected from border surveillance to hunting New World Screwworm infestations in Texas. The flesh-eating parasitic larvae — which can cause severe injury or death in untreated warm-blooded animals and humans — were first detected in southern Texas in June. The USDA and Customs and Border Protection are running what they describe as one of the most extensive animal-health surveillance operations in the country.

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Hundreds of US government drones have switched from border surveillance to a different surveillance mission this summer—looking for signs of screwworm infestations in wild animals and livestock herds.

The flesh-eating New World Screwworm is the parasitic larva that emerges from eggs laid by flies in the open wounds or body openings of warm-blooded animals and humans, with untreated cases potentially leading to severe injury or death. Since the first screwworm cases were detected in South Texas in June, the US Department of Agriculture and US Customs and Border Protection have been conducting “one of the most extensive animal-health surveillance operations in the country,” according to the USDA in social media posts on platforms like X and Facebook on August 10.

The effort involves at least 200 drones owned by the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency. The USDA has described performing more than 1,000 drone flights and surveying more than 22,000 animals so far.

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US deploys 200 drones to hunt flesh-eating screwworms in Texas

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