The recently established buffer zone beyond Israel’s border, designed to ward off terrorist threats from Lebanon, was no match for a determined herd of Lebanese cows and their loyal herding dog. On Tuesday, the black-and-white adventurers decided to stage a surprising cross-border "invasion," wandering into the Snir Stream Nature Reserve, which had just reopened to visitors for the first time since the war.
The invading cows
(Video: Nature and Parks Authority)
The cows made themselves quite at home by the Hatzbani River, enjoying the cool waters and grazing freely – though their visit risked contaminating the pristine river with their, shall we say, natural contributions.
Enter Shadi Dabous, a ranger from the Upper Galilee district of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, who took charge of the situation. With the help of IDF soldiers stationed nearby, he orchestrated a peaceful retreat for the cows back to their homeland. Dabous recalled the operation: “I saw the herd, accompanied by a dog, about 110 yards into the reserve.
"I stopped an IDF patrol vehicle passing by and asked for assistance to guide the herd back to the fence they had entered through, about a kilometer from the reserve’s border. Together with the soldiers and in coordination with the operations room, we managed to return the cows safely to their home in Lebanon,” he explained.
“It was very surprising. I’ve never encountered a herd of Lebanese cows in the reserve before, but hey, there’s a first time for everything,” Dabous added, with a smile.
The Nature and Parks Authority assured the public that the cows caused no damage to the reserve. Visitors can now safely enjoy the reopened Snir Stream Nature Reserve, which had been closed for over a year due to the war in the north. Located north of Kibbutz HaGoshrim, the reserve spans about 3 miles and is open under guidelines from the Home Front Command. Visitors are reminded to pre-register their visit to ensure entry.
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During the long months of war, rangers remained on the frontlines to safeguard the reserve’s natural residents, who, of course, were not evacuated from their native habitat. The Upper Galilee still carries memories of the 1960s, when Syria attempted to divert the waters of the Snir and Hermon Rivers toward the Yarmouk, threatening to dry up the Jordan River’s sources – an effort thwarted by Israeli forces.
For now, with the enemy across the border significantly weakened, the Snir River seems safe for at least the next decade, hopefully much longer. Meanwhile, the cows can rest assured that their little adventure will go down as one of the more unexpected cross-border incidents in recent memory.