A Syrian Serin, a globally endangered bird species, was rescued during an operation by the Nature and Parks Authority's Civil Administration unit near the West Bank city of Hebron. The bird was released back into the wild following medical examination and tagging. The operation also uncovered 22 additional captured songbirds.
The birds were seized last Friday during a joint operation by Nature and Parks Authority inspectors alongside IDF forces. Among the seized birds were three Syrian Serins, a rare and endemic species; six European Greenfinch; three Eurasian Siskins; four European Serins and seven Common Linnets.
Captured birds found in the West Bank
(Video: Gilad Weil, Nature and Parks Authority)
“The birds were discovered across several hunting sites in the West Bank. The poachers used nets and tied decoy birds to poles to trap songbirds that winter in the region during this season," Nature and Parks Authority inspector Dr. Gilad Weil explained.
“We’re dealing with widespread illegal possession, trade and hunting of songbirds. We’re actively working to combat this phenomenon and save these birds. The suspects were interrogated and will be summoned to court on charges of hunting, possession and trading in wildlife," he added.
"The birds were transferred to the Jerusalem Bird Observatory and I was glad to see that we managed to release them back into the wild alive," he said.
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One of the songbirds found in the West Bank
(Photo: Amir Belvan, Society for the Protection of Nature)
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The caged birds found in the West Bank
(Photo: Gilad Weil, Nature and Parks Authority)
The Nature and Parks Authority noted that the Syrian Serin nests in limited areas in the country, including Mount Hermon in Israel and Syria, the Mount Lebanon range and the Jordanian plateaus. It’s globally classified as vulnerable (VU) and appears on Israel’s red list with the same status. In Israel, it nests in Mount Hermon but is observed in desert and semi-desert areas during winter.
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“Preserving birds and biodiversity is crucial to ensuring a sustainable future for our environment,” said Society for the Protection of Nature's Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Observatory director Yotam Bashan.