A three-day trek from the Sea of Galilee to Achziv took a dangerous turn this week when a hiker said a jackal approached and tried to attack him in the Amud Stream nature reserve in northern Israel.
Nick, an experienced hiker, said he was walking the final leg of his route on a rainy morning when he noticed a jackal lying under a rock about five meters from the trail. He said he had already walked roughly 20 kilometers that day without seeing almost anyone.
Jackal tries to attack hiker in northern Israel
“It was strange it didn’t run away. Usually when they see people they disappear,” he said.
According to Nick, he began filming the animal and immediately sensed something was wrong. “I understood something wasn’t normal. I’m armed, so I thought if it tried to attack I’d know what to do. I didn’t even have time to react. Suddenly it got up and came straight at me without any fear.”
He said he managed to fend off the jackal using the only object in his hand, his mobile phone. “I gave it a few hits on the head with the phone and tried to step back, but I slipped and rolled down the slope,” he said. “I took some hard knocks, but it was better than getting bitten. I looked at the height I fell from and couldn’t believe it.”
Dr. Tomer Masimon, a veterinarian with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, said the animal’s behavior in the video suggests a golden jackal that may have been exposed to rabies. The authority contacted Nick to pinpoint the location.
Officials said anyone who encounters a wild animal behaving abnormally should immediately report it to the Nature and Parks Authority hotline at *3639. If physical contact occurs, people should seek medical care and contact the Health Ministry because rabies is fatal without timely treatment after exposure.
Guidance from the Nature and Parks Authority
In an encounter with a wild animal:
Keep a safe distance.
Do not try to engage with or frighten the animal.
Do not attempt to catch, move or touch it.
If the animal is not posing immediate danger, allow it to leave the area on its own.
If the animal is causing damage, appears distressed or poses a threat, call the authority’s hotline.
To prevent unwanted encounters:
• Do not leave food or garbage exposed in residential or camping areas.
• At overnight campsites, close trash bins and avoid leaving food outside tents.
• Learn to recognize signs of wildlife activity, including tracks and droppings.
Authorities remind hikers to respect wildlife and keep a safe distance while traveling in nature.