Overview

• On August 3, COGAT and government veterinarians carried out the culling of 262 Nile crocodiles at the long-abandoned Petzael farm in the Jordan Valley.
• Veterinarians reported the reptiles suffered severe neglect, insufficient food and cannibalistic behavior, with many animals missing limbs.
• Repeated escapes from the dilapidated facility—including a 2018 incident involving 70 crocodiles—posed public safety risks for nearby communities and potential cross-border incidents.
• Attempts to export the crocodiles abroad—including proposals to transfer them to Cyprus—failed, while costly fencing repairs repeatedly gave way and a 2012 law classifying crocodiles as a protected species barred relocation or commercial use.
• Animal rights organization Let the Animals Live condemned the operation as cruel and unlawful, demanding an immediate investigation into alleged breaches of CITES obligations and Israel’s Animal Welfare Law.