A suspected poisoning incident has led to the deaths of 335 birds, including Greater Spotted Eagles, Black Kites, Spur-Winged Lapwings, and Hooded Crownears in the western Negev settlement of Patish, inspectors from the Nature and Parks Authority reported Saturday.
While the cause is still under investigation, authorities suspect a toxic substance may have contaminated the water source from which the birds drank.
One of the Black Kites, identified as X71, had been tracked since August 12, 2017, from the Hadas Gardens landfill. Over the years, it completed six seasonal migrations, nesting in central Russia, east of the Ural Mountains—about 1,600 kilometers northeast of Moscow. "Unfortunately, it perished in this incident," Israel's Nature and Parks Authority stated.
Dror Halana, chief scientist at the Nature and Parks Authority, emphasized the urgent need for regulatory measures.
Dangerous lack of regulation
"Only cooperation with the General Directorate of Plant Protection and the Plant Protection Services at the Agriculture Ministry to regulate pesticides and toxins will allow us to combat the phenomenon of wildlife poisoning in Israel," he said. Without such collaboration, all conservation efforts—especially for birds of prey—will be in vain."
Halana warned that without stronger regulations and enforcement, authorities will struggle to prevent future poisonings. "The mass mortality of birds of prey is likely just the tip of the iceberg. The suspected substance appears to be highly toxic to many species and has a long-lasting impact on the environment," he added.
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