Between November 2023 and January, 16 different wildlife poisoning incidents have been identified in Israel compared to six during the same period last year, according to data presented Wednesday by the Nature and Parks Authority.
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Among the incidents, 7 gazelles were poisoned recently near the Gaza border. "Since November 1, 16 poisoning incidents have been identified, resulting in the deaths of approximately 75 wild animals," According to Tomer Nisimyan, a veterinarian with the Nature and Parks Authority.
"Most of the poisoning incidents that occurred since the beginning of the war were identified in northern Israel," Nisimyan added. "The majority of cases involve deliberate poisoning. This is a very significant and widespread impact. For comparison, in all of 2022 79 wild animals died as a result of poisoning."
According to the Nature and Parks Authority, the lack of legislative progress in regulating the sale and possession of hazardous substances, as well as in enforcing illegal poisonings, hampers and even prevents the authority from relying on the Wildlife Protection Law to lead enforcement efforts against those involved in illegal activities.
The Nature and Parks Authority emphasized the need to increase supervision over the marketing and possession of pesticides in conjunction with the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry to minimize the potential harm from the use of substances intended for agricultural pest control and prevent harm to wildlife in general.