Thula Reserve News Today

Nature groups warn the deaths of some 1,000 young birds 'means the elimination of the nesting season' for 2 species at risk of local extinction

From the blog of Julian Alper at The Times of Israel

PM consults with National Security Council on disease that's ravaging wild and domestic birds in north, delivering what minister calls 'worst blow to wildlife in Israel's history'

A bird flu outbreak in northern Israel has killed almost 5,000 wild cranes. The deceased birds were tallied in the Hula Lake Reserve on Sunday, according to the Times of Israel. It comes in the midst of an avian flu outbreak that has resulted in the culling of over half a million hens and turkeys. Each year, tens of thousands of wild cranes pass through Israel on their journey to Africa. The majority of them came to a halt in the Hula Valley, where the dead birds were tallied.

An estimated 5,000 wild cranes have been found dead at the Hula Lake Reserve in northern Israel, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection on

Several dozen dead birds also spotted in Jezreel Valley in northern Israel, as environmental protection minister accompanies nature officials on situation assessment

Authorities expect to have to clear 25 to 30 tons of crane carcasses after H5N1 virus spread from northern moshav, where farmers failed to report poultry deaths on time

Do animals have emotions? This is a bigger question than it might appear to be. When an animal feels and cares for someone beyond itself, it’s more than