Nearly two years since start of the war in Gaza, residents of Israeli communities near the border have faced a growing threat from feral dog packs—many of which are believed to have crossed into Israel from Gaza. These packs now roam the western Negev in increasing numbers, with one even establishing itself inside a military base near the frontier.
This past weekend, an Israeli mountain gazelle that inadvertently wandered into the base was attacked by one such pack and succumbed to its injuries.
Maj. G., a company commander stationed at the base, recounted the incident: “On Saturday, we saw a gazelle enter the compound. The dogs chased and exhausted her. We tried to place ourselves between her and the dogs to keep them away, but they managed to bite her several times. Eventually, she was cornered between a fence and an earth embankment, where we were finally able to shield her. Once she was no longer in immediate danger, we called the rangers from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. They arrived quickly, but unfortunately, by the time they got there, she had already died.”
Ophir Brickenstein, a ranger from the authority’s Western Negev district, added: “When I examined her body, I saw that her udders were full of milk—indicating she had a nursing fawn somewhere in the area. We searched but couldn’t locate it. The likelihood that it survives alone is very low. It’s a double loss.”
Feral dogs
(Video: Kobi Sofer, Nature and Parks Authority)
Dr. Tomer Nissimian, chief veterinarian for the Nature and Parks Authority, explained that Israeli gazelles are especially vulnerable and can sometimes die from sheer stress. “They’re extremely sensitive animals. In some cases, stress alone—or a sudden change in body temperature—can be fatal due to a condition known as capture myopathy. These feral dogs are taking a direct toll on the gazelle population. A mature female is crucial to the survival of a herd, so her death is a serious blow.”
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Since the October 7 border breach by Hamas, reports of feral dog sightings have become commonplace across the region. Residents describe dogs preying on domestic animals, threatening civilians and soldiers, and moving through towns and agricultural fields unchecked.
Efforts to trap or contain them have so far fallen short. “The only truly effective method for controlling their numbers is culling,” said Dr. Nissimian. “We’ve seen what happens when packs like these grow unchecked. The fatal mauling of a girl in Bir Hadaj a few years ago should serve as a stark reminder.”
Three gazelle species live in Israel—the Israeli gazelle, the Negev gazelle, and the acacia gazelle—all protected under the 1955 Wildlife Protection Law, which forbids hunting them. Yet their numbers have steadily declined in recent decades due to poaching, habitat loss, and an overabundance of natural predators like jackals and wolves, which target newborn fawns. In the southern region, the rise of feral dog packs now poses the greatest threat.
To safeguard Israel’s gazelle population and broader biodiversity, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority continues its efforts through anti-poaching enforcement, designated nature reserves, and targeted predator control. The authority also conducts long-term national surveys to track herd numbers and determine when additional intervention is needed.