The Nature and Parks Authority filed a 594,000 NIS lawsuit against Jamal Haj for hunting a protected Israeli deer species.
By ELI ASHKENAZISEPTEMBER 10, 2024
Through the State Attorney’s Office, the Nature and Parks Authority filed a landmark damages claim this week against Jamal Haj from Tamra, seeking NIS 594,000 for the illegal hunting of a female deer.
The claim emphasized that the plaintiff intends to use the compensation funds to rehabilitate and preserve the affected deer herd as part of efforts to restore and protect the endangered species.
“This lawsuit is intended to partially restore to the public what was taken from it due to the defendant’s actions,” the claim stated. “It is inconceivable that the public purse should bear the costs of the environmental damage caused by the defendant. This enforcement lawsuit is meant to convey that natural values are not to be taken lightly.”
Haj was caught nearly seven years ago in Ramat Sirin with a female Israeli deer in his vehicle. After being asked by Nature and Parks Authority inspectors to stop, he continued driving, colliding with an authority inspection vehicle.
This was the second time he was caught for illegal hunting.
An indictment was filed against him in the Tiberias Magistrate’s Court. Judge Nir Mishori Lev-Tov convicted him for violating protected natural values and other offenses related to laws intended to protect wildlife and nature.
The judge sentenced him to eight months in prison, to be served through community service, and imposed a fine of 25,000 shekels. As stated, the state was not satisfied with this, and now a tort claim of nearly 600,000 shekels has been filed.
The Nature and Parks Authority’s claim, which forms the lawsuit’s basis, is that the defendant caused significant damage to the environment and the ecological system.
To support this argument, an expert opinion was submitted by Dr. Noam Leder, Director of the Ecology Division at the Nature and Parks Authority. Dr. Leder used a probabilistic model to assess the impact of hunting a single deer on the entire population.
Reintroducing female deer to wild
This biological-demographic model can reportedly estimate the size and condition of the herd’s population over time based on parameters related to the species’ biology.
According to expert opinion, reintroducing an adult female deer to the wild requires five captive female deer to be released, with the hope that one will survive and integrate into the herd.
The lawsuit calculated the costs of reintroducing the deer to the wild, considering expenses for ecologists, inspectors, captive deer rearing, vehicle costs, transmitters, and more.
Dr. Leder stated, “The Israeli deer is one of the most distinctive symbols of nature in Israel and the major efforts to preserve it. The responsibility for protecting the species from global extinction is solely dependent on the ability of the State of Israel to take the necessary actions to preserve it.”
Dr. Leder explained the significance of hunting deer, noting, “Every loss of a female Israeli deer of reproductive age is a huge loss and a severe blow to any reproducing herd. I hope that through this lawsuit, the entire Israeli public will understand the real damage caused to nature from harming protected natural values and wildlife and deter anyone who considers harming an at-risk wild animal.”
Hunting wildlife in Israel is illegal and causes severe damage to wildlife populations and rare bird species. Hunting the Israeli deer is one of the most severe manifestations of this issue. There are only 5,500 of this species in Israel, which is the last country where this deer has survived.
Historically, the range of the Israeli deer extended from the Arabian Peninsula, north to Syria, and west to Sinai. However, the proliferation of firearms in the Middle East after World War I led to a drastic reduction in the deer population due to hunting, resulting in its extinction in the region, except in Israel. There is a concern that if the harm to the Israeli deer population continues, it may collapse and fail to recover.
Hunters contribute to the growing dangers and difficulties faced by the deer population: stray dogs hunting them in packs, an increase in predators due to human assistance through illegal dumps and the disposal of animal carcasses near settlements, as well as the reduction of their habitat and increased vehicle traffic posing a risk of collisions.