Professionals call to cancel the declaration of crocodiles as 'domesticated wild animals': 'A horrific idea'
Experts warn of harm to the crocodiles' welfare, the risk of their escape, and concerns that prison security will come at the expense of environmental protection: 'The risk of prisoners escaping is small compared to the problem that could arise from crocodiles escaping.' The Nature and Parks Authority also opposes the declaration: 'The main risks are tangible and clear.'
Dozens of academics, zoologists, and senior ecologists have appealed to the Minister of Environmental Protection, Idit Silman, demanding the immediate cancellation of the declaration of crocodiles held in captivity in Israel as 'domesticated wild animals.' At the same time, the protocol of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority plenum was published today, Sunday, in which it was recommended not to declare the crocodile a 'domesticated wild animal': 'The recommendation of the professionals at the Authority is not to allow the keeping of crocodiles in security facilities in Israel.'
In the letter, signed by academics and professionals in the field of nature conservation, it was written:
'We feel deep shock at the very horrific idea that wild animals will be used as a tool for threat in the State of Israel in 2026. There is no precedent in the world for establishing a facility intended for keeping wild animals for such a purpose. And for good reason. The question of who those prisoners are is not relevant. The question is who we are, what we want to be, and how we want to be seen in our own eyes and the eyes of the world.'
According to the experts, keeping crocodiles near a detention facility effectively turns them into 'weapons and deterrents' rather than animals that should be protected. They argue this contradicts the Wildlife Protection Law, the National Parks Law, and the Animal Welfare Law. The professionals expressed concern that security and operational considerations of the prison would override the needs of the crocodiles and environmental protection.
Furthermore, they note that the risk of prisoners escaping is very small compared to the problem that could arise from crocodiles escaping. Experts point out that in the past, crocodiles have escaped from farms in Israel; in the case of the Phasael farm, it took more than two years to capture all the escapees. Therefore, they view this as creating a significant risk to deal with a rare problem.
In the protocol of the last plenum meeting of the Nature and Parks Authority, it appears that the legal way for such a declaration is to apply for consultation with the plenum beforehand. 'Although the declaration has already been issued, we believe that the position of the plenum is required because the legal validity of the declaration is still being examined, and it is also important as a position regarding possible future petitions,' the protocol states.
The Nature and Parks Authority warned that crocodiles do not distinguish between terrorists and prison guards:
'The main risks are tangible and clear. In terms of human safety, keeping crocodiles creates risk interfaces with prison guards, maintenance workers, veterinarians, inspectors, emergency forces, prisoners, and sometimes visitors.'
They further noted that an escape or loss of control even over a single crocodile could create a prolonged environmental incident. 'A crocodile that reaches a drainage system, reservoir, stream, fish pond, or natural or artificial body of water may survive for a long time, hide, be difficult to locate and capture, prey on local animals, and endanger people using the space.'
