Even as Israel faces ongoing war with Iran and frequent air raid sirens, Israel Nature and Parks Authority personnel say their work caring for wildlife continues, often alongside the pressures of emergency conditions.
Dr. Tomer Nissimyan, the authority’s chief veterinarian, said calls about injured or distressed wildlife continue to arrive even during periods of heightened security alerts, and treatment sometimes takes place amid sirens and the broader realities of wartime.
In one recent case, Nissimyan said, staff received a report about a Eurasian jay that had become trapped in a loose thread from a shade net, which had wrapped around its tongue and legs. “Workers at the site noticed the situation, alerted the caretaker and he managed to cut the thread and bring the bird to us in a cardboard box,” Nissimyan said.
To safely remove the thread without damaging the bird’s tongue, he said, the jay was sedated before the thread was carefully removed from its tongue and legs. After a general examination and treatment with fluids and antibiotics, the bird stabilized and was later released back into the wild.
“Even during periods of war and alerts, we continue to receive calls about wildlife in distress,” Nissimyan said. “Nature doesn’t stop, and our responsibility to care for animals continues — in routine times and in emergencies alike.”
Staff working in wildlife reserves say the challenges extend beyond medical care.
Sappir Simchi, an animal caretaker at the Hai-Bar Carmel nature reserve operated by the authority, said the staff continues caring for animals around the clock even during wartime. “The responsibility for the animals doesn’t stop when the sirens sound,” she said. “Even during periods like this, when there is stress and a real threat, we can’t put the animals aside. We keep caring for them while also making sure we stay safe.”
During one recent feeding of wild sheep and goats at the reserve, Simchi said an air raid siren sounded. “We had to put down the food and run to a shelter, and then immediately return to work,” she said.
According to Simchi, the animals themselves sometimes react to the tension. “Even the animals feel the stress. Sometimes they become alert when there are interceptions or loud noises, and we try to understand how to calm the situation,” she said.
Still, she said, there are moments that highlight how nature continues despite the surrounding turmoil. “At the reserve, we have a pair of vultures that are currently raising a chick,” she said. “You can see the vulture standing over it and protecting it even during the sirens. Even with all the noise around, they continue caring for their chick — just as nature knows how to do.”