(Live here with wildlife rescue) - If we don't act now it will be too late. Only about 200 eagles remain in Israel, a number that indicates a drastic decrease compared to the past. The king of birds may become extinct as a nester in Israel, when the main and most significant reason, which requires an urgent solution, is illegal poisoning with pesticides, which are spread in baits and on carcasses against predators or for other malicious reasons. The eagles eat poisoned carcasses and thus find their death.

The Nature and Parks Authority embarks on a nationwide campaign to preserve eagles and stop poisoning
The eagles are often harmed by poisons, as are other birds of prey, which leads to a worsening of their condition to the point of extinction. The entire ecological fabric is damaged and does not function, thus the problem of pests and the spread of diseases arises.

"spreading wings"
There are other reasons that harm eagles, such as electrocution and collisions with power lines, reduction of food sources and habitats, as well as disturbance in nesting places - all of these intensify the extreme decrease in the number of eagles and today they are in serious danger of extinction as nesters in Israel and exist only thanks to extensive conservation efforts carried out by the Forishim Naf project led by Israel Nature and gardens.

Illegal use of pesticides
The Nature and Gardens Authority is working to raise a dedicated budget in order to eradicate the scourge of poisoning. As part of a national interface program for the conservation of eagles in Israel and for the prevention of poisoning. The main points of the plan include efforts to minimize poisonings on increased supervision, alongside a significant promotion of sanitation for the active detection and collection of animal carcasses and excess food that are available to predators (jackals, foxes, stray dogs, etc.) that breed without control and harm farm animals. This culture is a catalyst for the irresponsible use of toxins that harm eagles and other animals. In addition, the program tries to promote regulation, control and enforcement of marketing and illegal use of dangerous pesticides.

"Nature's Sanitizers"
Minister for Environmental Protection Idit Silman:
"The Ministry of Environmental Protection is working together with the Nature and Parks Authority to implement a program to prevent poisoning of wild animals through sanitation in the open areas. It is very important to protect eagles and other birds of prey, because they are responsible in nature for disposing of carcasses and preventing the outbreak of diseases, and are in fact 'nature's sanitisers' The eagle serves as a symbol of the powerful nature that exists in Israel and therefore, among other things, preserving and protecting it is important. The Ministry of Environmental Protection requires, through business licenses, the fencing of food centers in agricultural areas, in order to prevent food from being available to invasive species, and also promotes support for the preparation of regional plans for the treatment of agricultural waste and the establishment of collection systems and infrastructures Treatment - everything to effectively and correctly treat waste and prevent food from being available to animals."

'An integral part of Israeli nature'
Raya Shurki, CEO of the Nature and Parks Authority:
"The situation of eagles in Israel is alarming. We are making great efforts to protect them, starting with collecting carcasses, feeding stations, informing the public and a breeding nucleus in which the Authority invests heavily. We must not give up and fight these dangerous phenomena and join forces, all the relevant factors, in order to solve the problems which harm the eagles in Israel and brought them to a serious risk of extinction, and even damage the entire ecological fabric. One of the most difficult threats to deal with is the phenomenon of poisoning. This is the biggest problem that requires regulation and broad mobilization. Only in this way will we ensure that the eagles continue to remain in the sky and be an integral part of Israeli nature."

A dedicated program is required
The eagle is a large bird of prey that specializes in remotely locating animal carcasses, while soaring over great distances. The eagles, being a ferocious fowl, gather in large numbers on the found carcasses, consuming them even if they died from diseases dangerous to humans and the environment and without any harm to the eagles, therefore they are nature's sanitation workers. In the recent past, thousands of eagles nested in all the mountainous and rugged regions of Israel. The eagle population in Israel is monitored by the Nature and Parks Authority every year. For decades, a very alarming decrease in the number of eagles in general and in the number of nests in particular has been detected, and all efforts to prevent the main cause - poisoning, have not been successful, therefore a dedicated program for this issue is required.

Dozens of dead eagles
Today, most of the eagle population in Israel is concentrated in the desert region, and the number of individuals observed and the number of nests recorded there is relatively stable compared to other regions. In contrast, the number of nests in the Judean Desert has dropped sharply compared to the Negev, and there are no nests left at all in the Golan. In 2021 alone, at least 24 people were found dead in Israel, of which at least 14 were affected by the large poisoning that occurred south of Arad and four by poisoning with veterinary drugs. In 2022, at least 12 died, of which seven were due to poisoning from veterinary drugs.

critical role
Biodiversity plays a critical role in the functioning of the natural (ecological) system essential to human health and well-being, economic prosperity, food security and other important areas. Healthy ecosystems provide quality air, water and the entire environment and support our various areas of life. In small Israel it is important that we preserve each and every component of the biological diversity.

Have you seen the carcass of a predator?
Have you seen a carcass of cattle or a predator, a dead eagle or signs of poisoning?
Report to the Information Center of the Nature and Parks Authority* 3639
Great photos.
Yes. We must act now. Shabbat Shalom
Great photos.