US boosts drone surveillance as flesh-eating screwworms spread in Texas
Hundreds of Homeland Security drones retasked to survey wildlife and livestock.
The US government has intensified its drone surveillance efforts, shifting focus from border monitoring to detecting screwworm infestations in wild animals and livestock. The New World Screwworm, a parasitic larva, emerges from wounds or body openings of infected warm-blooded creatures, potentially causing grave harm or death if left untreated.
Since the initial screwworm cases surfaced in South Texas in June, the USDA and CBP have been undertaking one of the nation's most comprehensive animal-health surveillance operations, according to USDA's social media updates on platforms such as X and Facebook on August 10. This initiative involves a significant fleet of drones belonging to the Department of Homeland Security, encompassing the Customs and Border Protection agency.
The USDA has reported conducting over 1,000 drone flights, surveying more than 22,000 animals to date.
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