Tag Archives: new world screwworm

Screwworm

Can Genetics Stop the Screwworm?

The New World screwworm doesn’t simply feed on something that’s already dead. Its larvae invade wounds and feed on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals.

That disturbing fact is part of what made the parasite such a nightmare for American ranchers and wildlife managers before it was eradicated from the United States decades ago. Now, in 2026, New World screwworm has returned to the U.S. mainland, and the battle to stop it has taken on new urgency.

But what if one of the next weapons against this flesh-eating parasite isn’t simply more traps, treatments or sterile flies?

What if it’s genetics?

That’s the subject of Episode 80 of the Dark Outdoors podcast, featuring a conversation between Chester Moore and Matt James of Colossal Biosciences about the potential for advanced genetic technologies to become part of the fight against New World screwworm.

Listen to Episode 80

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/can-genetics-stop-the-screwworm-a-new-weapon/id1630809603?i=1000782125719&l=vi

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7fY1j5Z4gZqCJxCvtLOzpU?si=bafec6ea94c845e9

A New Kind of Weapon

For generations, one of the most effective weapons against New World screwworm has been the sterile insect technique.

Enormous numbers of sterile male flies are produced and released into areas where the parasite is present. Females that mate with those sterile males produce no viable offspring, allowing authorities to suppress the population.

It was an extraordinary biological weapon against an extraordinary parasite, and sterile insect releases remain central to the fight today.

But biotechnology has advanced dramatically since the original screwworm eradication campaign.

Colossal Biosciences has publicly discussed the potential for genetic biocontrol and gene-drive technology to be applied to New World screwworm. Instead of relying exclusively on repeated releases of sterile flies, advanced genetic techniques could potentially introduce traits designed to interfere with reproduction and spread those traits through a population.

That possibility is at the center of Moore’s conversation with James.

The discussion examines what these emerging technologies might mean, how genetics could potentially complement existing eradication methods and where the science could go from here.

Wildlife Could Pay the Price

This parasite is often discussed as a livestock problem, but cattle aren’t the only animals at risk.

New World screwworm can infest warm-blooded animals when female flies lay eggs in wounds. That puts wildlife in a particularly difficult position because wild animals can’t be routinely inspected the way livestock can.

A deer injured while fighting, a wild sheep wounded on the landscape or another animal suffering even a relatively small injury could potentially become infested.

The United States has already seen what screwworm can do to wildlife.

When New World screwworm appeared in the Florida Keys in 2016, endangered Key deer were hit hard. That outbreak remains an important warning about what can happen when the parasite reaches a vulnerable wildlife population.

The return of screwworm to the U.S. mainland makes the development of every effective control tool worth watching.

Genetics and the Future of Conservation

The larger question explored in Episode 80 goes beyond screwworm.

Modern biotechnology is creating possibilities for wildlife conservation that would have sounded like science fiction not long ago. Scientists are exploring genetics as a way to preserve endangered species, restore genetic diversity and address biological threats.

Screwworm turns that idea around.

Could some of the same rapidly advancing genetic technologies being considered to help wildlife also be used against an organism capable of devastating wildlife and livestock?

There are enormous scientific and ecological questions surrounding these technologies, and no single approach replaces the proven methods already being used against this parasite.

But the possibilities are fascinating.

The New World screwworm is back.

Could genetics help send it away again?

Listen to Dark Outdoors Episode 80: “Can Genetics Stop the Screwworm? A New Weapon Against a Flesh-Eating Parasite” on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Related Dark Outdoors Screwworm Coverage

New World Screwworm Resource Center
Follow Dark Outdoors’ continuing coverage of the screwworm threat, wildlife implications, interviews and new developments.

https://darkoutdoors.com/new-world-screwworm-resource-center

Texas Faces Screwworm. The Key Deer Did 10 Years Ago
Chester Moore talks with Dr. Roel Lopez about the devastating 2016 Key deer outbreak and what that experience could teach us about protecting wildlife today.

Texas Faces Screwworm. The Key Deer Did 10 Years Ago

Flesh-Eating Screwworm Is A Huge Threat — And It’s Back In America
Legendary wildlife biologist Larry Weishuhn discusses his firsthand experience with screwworm and why the parasite’s return deserves serious attention.

Flesh-Eating Screwworm Is A Huge Threat-And It’s Back In America
About Dark Outdoors

Dark Outdoors investigates terrifying encounters, unsolved mysteries, true crime and dangerous wildlife.

Hosted by award-winning wildlife journalist Chester Moore, the podcast explores the stories, threats and mysteries found where people and the wild intersect.

Because the outdoors has a dark side.

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore on the following social media platforms

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

@gulfgreatwhitesharksociety on Instagram

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Screwworm

Texas Faces Screwworm. The Key Deer Did 10 Years Ago

Texas is preparing for the threat of New World screwworm. But just 10 years ago, this devastating flesh-eating parasite struck America’s endangered Key deer in the Florida Keys. That little-known wildlife crisis became the last U.S. screwworm outbreak—and the lessons learned there could prove critical as Texas works to keep the parasite from gaining a foothold.

Watch my new video on this topic here

In this exclusive interview, I sit down with Dr. Roel Lopez, Director of the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, who worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during the 2016 Florida Keys outbreak.

He shares firsthand insight into what happened, how the endangered Key deer were affected, and how one of the greatest wildlife disease eradication efforts in history—using millions of sterile flies—helped stop the outbreak before it spread.

We also discuss:

• Why New World screwworm is so dangerous to livestock and wildlife • The science behind the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)

• What happened during the Florida Keys outbreak • Why the Key deer story matters to Texas today

• The current screwworm situation along the U.S.-Mexico border

• What ranchers, hunters, veterinarians, and wildlife professionals should know

• Why early detection and rapid response are essential The story of the Key deer is more than a fascinating chapter in wildlife conservation—it’s a blueprint for how science, cooperation, and decisive action can stop one of North America’s most destructive parasites.

As Texas prepares for the possibility of screwworm returning, the past may hold the key to protecting the future. If you enjoy in-depth conversations on wildlife conservation, hunting, fisheries, and the outdoors, please like, subscribe, and share. Your support helps us continue bringing you interviews with the people on the front lines of conservation.

Crime, Conservation and the Outdoors Collide in Hammer

When most people think about crime thrillers, they picture car chases, shootouts and government conspiracies. Those are certainly part of Joe Betar’s debut novel, Hammer, but what caught my attention was something else entirely.

As someone who has spent decades writing about wildlife, conservation and the outdoors, I immediately recognized the realism behind many of the story’s outdoor elements.

Hammer follows former MMA champion Jack “Hammer” Garrett, who leaves the fighting world hoping to build a peaceful life in the Texas Hill Country centered on family, hunting and the outdoors. That peace doesn’t last long, and he’s drawn into a dangerous international conspiracy.

During my interview with Betar, I asked how his conservation background shaped the story.

“I tried to take everything from my medical background and my conservation background and incorporate pieces of those into the challenges Jack faces,” he said.

Betar’s years working around conservation and anti-poaching efforts gave him firsthand insight into the complex realities of wildlife crime. Rather than presenting poaching as a simple battle between heroes and villains, Hammer explores the criminal organizations behind wildlife trafficking while also showing the difficult circumstances that sometimes drive people into that world.

For readers who enjoy suspense grounded in authentic outdoor experience instead of Hollywood clichés, Hammer offers something refreshingly different. It’s an action thriller, but one with roots in the real world of hunting, conservation and international wildlife crime.

Learn more about Hammer

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Joe+Betar+Hammer

Joe Betar: https://joebetar.com

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore on the following social media platforms

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

@gulfgreatwhitesharksociety on Instagram

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Screwworm

Flesh-Eating Screwworm Is A Huge Threat-And It’s Back In America

Few parasites in modern history have caused as much concern among wildlife biologists, ranchers, and animal health experts as the New World Screwworm.

To better understand the threat, I recently spoke with legendary wildlife biologist Larry Weishuhn, known to many as “Mr. Whitetail.” Larry witnessed the original screwworm crisis firsthand and observed the damage it caused before the parasite was eliminated from the United States.

Check out the interview with Larry here.

Unlike most parasites, screwworm larvae feed on living tissue. Animals suffering from an infestation can develop severe wounds that grow larger as the larvae continue feeding. Left untreated, infestations can become life-threatening.

The United States once fought a decades-long battle against screwworm, ultimately achieving one of the greatest animal health victories in history by eradicating the parasite from the country. For many Americans, screwworm became little more than a historical footnote.

Today, however, concern is growing once again.

His perspective is particularly valuable because it combines historical experience with decades of wildlife management expertise. During our conversation, we discussed the biology of screwworm, the lessons learned from past eradication efforts, and what wildlife managers, ranchers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts should be watching as this situation develops.

One thing is clear: the New World Screwworm is not simply another wildlife issue. It is a parasite with a long history of affecting wildlife, livestock, and rural communities, and its return has captured the attention of experts across multiple fields.

As more information becomes available, continued monitoring, public awareness, and cooperation between wildlife agencies, livestock producers, and animal health officials will be critical.

For those who care about wildlife conservation, hunting, ranching, and the future of America’s natural resources, the New World Screwworm is a story worth following closely.

Wildlife professionals, livestock producers, hunters, and conservationists are closely monitoring developments involving the New World Screwworm and its movement closer to the United States. The potential impacts extend far beyond individual animals.

Whitetail deer, livestock, pets, and even endangered wildlife species could all face risks if screwworm becomes established in areas where it has previously been absent. Beyond animal health concerns, the economic and conservation implications could be substantial.

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore on the following social media platforms

Chester Moore’s YouTube.

@thechestermoore on Instagram

@gulfgreatwhitesharksociety on Instagram

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

Subscribe to the Dark Outdoors podcast on all major podcasting platforms.

Higher Calling Wildlife on Facebook

Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.