Attack of the flesh-eating screwworm pushes up Key deer death toll

As of Friday afternoon, Oct. 14, 2016, 83 endangered Key deer had been euthanized because of an infestation of the New World screwworm. The screwworm, not seen in the U.S. since the 1960s, is leaving open wounds on the deer and then eating the flesh until the deer is incapacitated. U.S. Fish & Wildlife, in partnership with the Florida and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, are working hard to eradicate the Screwworm and keep it contained to the lower Keys.   New World screwworm flies have now caused the euthanization of nearly 10 percent of the endangered Key deer population — and things could get worse before they get better now that the flies have been found on more than just Big Pine and No Name keys.