Three foals have peared on North Carolina’s Shackleford Banks, a barrier island that has become an increasingly perilous home to a herd of beloved wild horses.
The trio of newborns brings the herd to about 105 horses, which remains below the target population of 120 to 130.
Twenty of the horses died in 2025 – a mortality rate of 17% – and it was due largely to lack of food, according to Ce Lookout National Seashore.
This is above the 6% average mortality from 1999 through 2024, the park reported in a study. Evidence shows that the increased mortality is primarily due to the herd adjusting to the available vegetation on the dynamic barrier island. As a result, the majority of the deceased horses were in thin body condition.
The food shortage will likely get worse, park officials told The Charlotte Observer in ril.
Factors include erosion of the island, succession of the grassy swales to woody shrubs, loss of marsh, overwash and flooding of the island, and intermittent drought conditions, NPS officials said.
Additionally, a recent study indicates that fresh drinking water is less widely available than is desirable. The population is expected to continue to decline until a balance is reached.
Seven foals were born on the island in 2025. One died and two were removed by the Foundation for Shackleford Horses when the foals became separated from their mothers, officials said. The foundation is a nonprofit that tends the herd’s medical needs and rescues those in jeopardy.
The Shackleford Banks covers about 2,990 acres and is accessible only by boat or ferry. The island is about a 155-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.

Costco reduced the prices of several items during the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended in late May.
It’s the third time in a row that Costco has announced price drops during a quarterly earnings call.
In December 2025, the brand shared that it had lowered prices on items like chicken pot pie, bacon and whipped cream. In March, Costco lowered prices on food items like butter and coconut water.
Our goal is to be the first to lower prices where we see opportunities to do so, Gary Millerchip, Costco’s chief financial officer, said in the most recent earnings call.
Here’s which Kirkland Signature food products just got cheer.
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Costco lowered prices on these items
These Kirkland Signature products got cheer, according to the company’s most recent earnings call:
Crispy Wings: dropped from $16.99 to $14.49
Milk Chocolate Almonds: dropped from $19.99 to $18.99
Golf Ball: dropped from $32.99 to $29.99
Sheets (King): dropped from $89.99 to $79.99
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered an escalated response to the reemergence of the New World screwworm, activating the State Emergency Operations Center at Level II and mobilizing all available state resources as officials race to contain the parasitic pest now detected inside the state.
The move directs the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to coordinate a multi-agency response, bringing together animal health, agriculture and public health officials to prevent further spread.
The stakes stretch far beyond Texas. The New World screwworm poses a direct threat to livestock production—particularly cattle—and could disrupt supply chains if infestations spread, forcing quarantines or limiting animal movement. Because Texas is the nation’s top cattle-producing state, officials have warned that an outbreak could tighten already strained supply, drive up beef prices and ripple through broader food distribution systems nationwide.
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A widening screwworm outbreak could also intersect with broader global supply risks, including volatility tied to key shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz. While the parasite itself threatens domestic livestock production, any concurrent disruption in global energy flows through the Strait, which handles a significant share of the world’s oil shipments, can drive up transportation and fuel costs.
Those increases typically cascade through agricultural supply chains, raising costs for feed, processing and distribution. In a worst-case scenario, overlping pressures from a livestock pest outbreak and higher shipping or fuel costs could compound price spikes and logistical strain across the United States’ food system, particularly for beef and other protein products already sensitive to supply shocks.
Screwworm Symptoms in Humans: What We Know
Although the parasite primarily affects animals, human cases can occur in areas where the flies are present.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the New World screwworm infection begins when a female fly lays eggs in an open wound or body opening, such as the nose, ears or mouth.
Symptoms can include:
Painful wounds that worsen quickly
A foul-smelling site of infection
Visible larvae (maggots) in or around the wound
Sensation of movement under the skin
The larvae feed on living tissue, which can lead to severe damage if not treated promptly.
Health officials emphasize that while human risk in the U.S. remains low, exposure is possible in areas where the flies are circulating, particularly for individuals with untreated wounds.
Why Is Screwworm Back in the US?
The current threat is tied to a broader outbreak that has steadily advanced north through the Americas over the past several years.
The parasite is endemic in parts of South America and the Caribbean.
Since 2023, it has spread across Central America and into Mexico.
Recent detections in northern Mexico brought the pest within miles of the U.S. border before it was confirmed in Texas in June 2026.
Experts say the spread has been fueled by both the migration of flies and the movement of infected animals, allowing the parasite to le long distances.
The detection in Texas marks the parasite’s return after decades of eradication in the United States, prompting renewed emergency measures and containment strategies similar to those used in the mid-20th century.
Florida has also moved to tighten biosecurity, enacting emergency rules that bar the import of any warm‑blooded animals from screwworm-infested zones until June 10, according to state agriculture officials, underscoring growing concern about cross-state spread.
How Screwworms and Botflies Differ
While both screwworms and botflies are parasites that can infest animals—and in rare cases humans—they behave in significantly different ways.
New World screwworm:
Targets open wounds on living animals
Larvae aggressively burrow into and consume healthy tissue
Infestations can ridly worsen and become fatal if untreated
Botflies (general comparison):
Typically deposit larvae on intact skin or through insect vectors
Often create localized infestations rather than ridly expanding wounds
Usually less destructive to surrounding tissue
A key distinction highlighted by experts is that screwworm larvae feed on living tissue, whereas many other fly larvae, including common species, feed only on dead or decaying material.
What Does the Emergency Response Do?
Abbott said the state is deploying the full use of all state resources to stop the pest.
With the emergency response now fully activated, officials say early detection and rid containment will be critical to preventing wider spread and minimizing potential disruptions to livestock production and the U.S. food supply.
“The protection of our ranchers, livestock producers, deer breeders, and the Texas economy from this pest is a top priority,” Abbott said in a press release issued Monday. “We have eradicated this pest before, and we will do it again in close cooperation with our federal partners.”
“Texans should stay alert, check animals daily for wounds, and report any suspected cases immediately,” he urged.
Activation of the State Emergency Operations Center at Level II centralizes Texas’ response, allowing officials to ridly deploy resources, coordinate across agencies and streamline decision-making as new cases emerge.
The move brings together key partners to manage surveillance, containment and public guidance, including the Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — A Summerville woman was arrested after authorities say she fraudulently obtained more than $75,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SN, benefits.
Timesha Fleming, 34, was charged with fraudulent acquisition or use of food stamps valued at $10,000 or more, according to the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
The alleged crimes occurred between August 2020 and November, according to an arrest warrant.
Documents claim she failed to report her husband’s income while they were living together, acquiring $76,502 in benefits she would not have qualified for if she accurately reported her household’s income.
Fleming was booked into the L.C. Knight Detention Center on Friday and released the same day, according to jail records.

Emma’s Torch is opening its new café and culinary training center in Downtown Silver Spring on June 12, combining delicious food with a powerful mission.
The nonprofit provides refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of human trafficking with hands-on culinary training, career support, and real-world restaurant experience to help them build sustainable careers in the hospitality industry. Guests can enjoy fresh café offerings while supporting students as they put their skills into practice in a working kitchen.
Kerry Brodie, the founder and Executive Director of Emma’s Torch, and Briana White, the Senior Culinary Instructor shared with Brian what visitors can enjoy at the cafe, including brunch to a fresh salad.