From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 24, 2021
9 vultures found dead in Judean desert; authorities suspect malicious poisoning
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
Nine dead vultures are found in the Judean Desert, in what the Israel Nature and Parks Authority suspects is a case of malicious poisoning.
9 נשרים (!!) נמצאו מתים באיזור נחל קינה בדרום לאחר שטרפו עז שאלמונים החביאו בתוכה ככה"נ רעל קטלני. הם אותרו לפני זמן קצר בידי פקחי רט"ג שמחפשים כעת בשטח מקורות הרעלה נוספים. מדובר באירוע גדול וחמור מאוד המסכן את אוכלוסיית הנשרים בדרום. ברט"ג פתחו בחקירה אחר נסיבות האירוע. pic.twitter.com/KHXv0O5n7U
— יאיר קראוס (@yair_kraus) October 24, 2021
The corpses are located in the area of the Kina and Kamrir streambeds after suspicious information was received from transmitters attached to the birds.
Next to them is a dead goat, which had apparently been poisoned and was being eaten by the vultures.
All the corpses are being taken to the veterinary institute at Beit Dagan in central Israel for further examination, while Nature and Parks Authority inspectors continue to roam the area as far as Sde Boker and Hamakhtesh Hakatan (The Small Crater) with a special sniffer dog.
Finding of an investigation will be relayed to the Israel Police.
The incident is a blow to Israel’s already endangered vulture population.
The Times of Israel Community.