Target: Sid Miller, Commissioner of Texas Department of Agriculture
Goal: Prevent spread of invasive and ecosystem-destabilizing hammerhead worms.
They can seemingly raise themselves from the dead. Decapitating them may only multiply their numbers. They feast on the flesh of their prey. Touching them could prove fatal. And they have been described as “demonic” in appearance. It’s not the latest Hollywood slasher. Instead, the aforementioned are a real-life horror infesting Texas wildlands.
The hammerhead worm, like an alien invader, entrenched itself in an ecosystem that it doesn’t naturally call home. The fearsome flatworm – measuring over a foot in length – makes a meal of earthworms. Since the latter are integral for healthy soil, plants and vegetation suffer. In a domino effect, the animals that rely on these plants for survival also suffer, as do the predators reliant upon these animals. Entire habitats become at risk. Compounding the danger is the toxic-to-the-touch nature of the hammerhead worm’s outer covering. Even humans that encounter the animals are not left unscathed, as contact can leave behind a painful rash.
Local officials have advised residents on how to deal with the threat, but a well-coordinated plan of action is needed. Sign the petition below to urge swift implementation of this plan.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Commissioner Miller,
Good soil is key to agriculture, and earthworms are the guardians of good soil. Yet these key animals are being threatened with extermination via the invasive hammerhead worm. Heavy rainfalls exacerbate the presence of these predators, and you have acknowledged the threat.
Now is the time to formulate a cohesive and comprehensive government action plan to combat the threat. Work with wildlife experts to devise a containment approach that does not harm the welfare of other living beings. If these worms extend their reach, more ecosystems will be in peril.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Praj4muz
