Fawn illegally-held by Palestinians rescued by IDF
Officials with the Nature Reserve Administration along with IDF forces rescued a fawn being held at a Palestinian sheep pen; 'We are finding more and more animals being held illegally.'
The fawn was discovered Tuesday afternoon during a patrol near the Eliyahu border crossing. Avichai Yitzhaki, a supervisor with the Samaria Civil Administration, along with soldiers from the 55th Artillery Battalion, found the fawn in the Efrayim district in an illegal structure used by Palestinians for holding sheep.
Yitzhaki knew that holding the animal was against the law as a permit is required to possess wildlife. He contacted the National Parks Authority of the Civil Administration and transferred the startled fawn to them.
After an examination of the fawn, it was determined that because it was raised by humans, its chances of survival in the wild are slim. As such, the fawn will be transferred to a petting zoo under veterinary care, where it will undergo further tests to determine proper health.
"Beyond the fact that this was a violation of the law, this animal was condemned to be raised in a petting zoo as opposed to nature, where it belongs. We are finding more animals that are being held illegally," said Moti Sheffi, director of the Samaria Nature Reserves Department at the Civil Administration.
