Museo Maderas del Carmen: The Front Line of Defense for Protecting Wildlife Health in the Big Bend–El Carmen Corridor

By Hugo Sotelo Gallardo

In a landscape where political borders disappear for wildlife, protecting animal populations means identifying threats before they become a crisis. At the heart of the transboundary Big Bend–El Carmen ecological corridor, the Museo Maderas del Carmen (MMC) has become a strategic wildlife health surveillance hub, integrating cutting-edge technology, scientific monitoring, and international cooperation to safeguard wildlife health.

Today, in response to the threat posed by the New World screwworm, the MMC is contributing to a binational epidemiological surveillance network operating in coordination with protocols established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Mexico's Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA), the Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (PROFEPA), the Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP), and the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de Coahuila (SMA).

Where AI Becomes an Ally for Conservation

The network of camera traps strategically deployed throughout Maderas del Carmen was originally installed to study biodiversity and estimate the abundance of iconic wildlife species such as the American black bear, mountain lion (puma), white-tailed deer, and many others. Today, these cameras have taken on an additional mission: serving as a powerful tool for wildlife health surveillance.

Using specialized software and artificial intelligence, thousands of images are automatically analyzed to identify animals exhibiting open wounds, skin lesions, or other physical abnormalities consistent with a possible New World screwworm infestation.

Whenever the system flags a suspicious image, it is reviewed by wildlife specialists who determine whether official surveillance protocols should be activated in coordination with the appropriate authorities.

This technology dramatically expands the capacity to monitor wildlife across a landscape encompassing hundreds of thousands of acres, where conventional surveillance would be nearly impossible.

A Silent Enemy

The New World screwworm is considered one of the most destructive parasites affecting warm-blooded animals.

The adult fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) seeks out fresh wounds in which to lay its eggs. Within hours, the larvae hatch and—unlike typical blowflies that feed on dead tissue—consume only living tissue, rapidly enlarging the wound and causing severe damage to the host.

Its biological cycle enables it to infest virtually any warm-blooded animal, including wild mammals, birds, livestock, domestic animals, and even humans.

If left undetected, the infestation can lead to severe infections, significant weight loss and physical deterioration, and ultimately death.

Wildlife Health Knows No Borders

Within the Big Bend–El Carmen corridor, species such as the American black bear, mountain lion, golden eagle, white-tailed deer, and many other wildlife species move freely across hundreds of miles between Mexico and the United States.

These natural movements make it essential for wildlife health surveillance to function as a borderless monitoring network.

Every image captured by a camera trap, every field survey, and every wildlife observation collected by field personnel contributes valuable information that helps detect emerging health threats before they jeopardize the wildlife of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Science, Conservation, and International Cooperation

Beyond protecting iconic wildlife species, the MMC contributes valuable scientific information that strengthens the region's ability to respond to emerging wildlife diseases under the One Health scheme.

By integrating biological monitoring, artificial intelligence, veterinary surveillance, and interagency coordination, Maderas del Carmen has become a true natural laboratory for conservation, where technological innovation serves one of North America's most important transboundary biological corridors.

At a time when emerging diseases pose an increasing threat to biodiversity, early detection can mean the difference between containing an outbreak and facing significant ecological and economic consequences.

How to Identify a Suspected Case

The primary warning signs include:

• Wounds that rapidly increase in size.

• White larvae present within the wound.

• Foul-smelling discharge.

• Persistent bleeding.

• Animals that appear weak or exhibit abnormal behavior.

If you observe a suspected case, report it immediately to the appropriate wildlife authorities.

Reporting Suspected Cases in the United States.

USDA, Wildlife Services.

Phone: 866-4USDA-WS (866-487-3297)

Email: screwworm@usda.gov

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Phone: 512-389-4505

Reporting Suspected Cases in Mexico.

SENASICA.

Phone: 800-751-2100

WhatsApp: +52 55 3996 4462

Email: gestioncpa.dgsa@senasica.gob.mx

Public participation is one of the most effective tools for limiting the spread of the New World screwworm and protecting the health of wildlife throughout the Big Bend–El Carmen ecosystem.

Reference:

SENASICA. 2025. Reporta cualquier caso de gusano barrenador del ganado (GBG) por teléfono, WhatsApp y correo electrónico. Juntas y juntos protegemos la ganadería nacional https://www.gob.mx/agricultura/articulos/no-te-dejes-enganar-reportar-casos-de-gbg-no-implica-sanciones last accessed July 14, 2026.

USDA. 2026. Report Suspected Cases of Screwworm. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animals/animal-health/livestock-and-poultry-disease/stop-screwworm/report-suspected-cases-screwworm last accessed July 14, 2026.