In October 2024, an animal health emergency was declared in Guatemala, following outbreaks of what is known as the “screwworm”. The screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae eat the flesh of warm-blooded animals.

Guatemala had previously managed to eradicate screwworm in 1994, shielding millions of farm animals and pets from these flesh-eating flies. The recent outbreaks are therefore particularly worrying, with experts concerned about its spread across the country.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security of Guatemala has a national epidemiology system which has been active since the first outbreak. Across the 22 regions of the country, assigned veterinary teams have been carrying out epidemiological surveillance in areas with a high risk of infestation. A lack of adequate resources in terms of personnel, vehicles, fuel and equipment, supplies and veterinary medicines, however, has meant that the government is facing a serious challenge ahead.

We at Nature Vanguards have teamed up with Fundación ESAP, an organisation supporting the Ministry of Agriculture to bring the screwworm outbreaks under control. Fundación ESAP's team includes leading veterinarians and animal experts in the country, and they work directly with rural communities and their animals in Guatemala. This project will see Fundación ESAP’s team conduct epidemiological surveillance in several “at-risk” regions in Guatemala, identifying and treating cases of screwworm. At least 20,000 farm and working animals, and pets, will benefit from their work.

For more information about the project, visit our projects page.