Latest news with #IsraelNatureandParksAuthority
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What are two Lebanese monkeys doing in a house in the North?
Inspectors from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority collected the monkeys and took them into care. Two monkeys that apparently escaped from domestic captivity in Lebanon crossed the border and appeared in a house in Moshav Dovev on the northern border last week. Inspectors from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority collected the monkeys and took them into care. The monkeys were likely released due to difficulties their owners faced in raising and feeding them. In some cases, the monkeys make their way to Israel. This happened five months ago, and again only a month and a half ago, when two vervet monkeys reached Rosh Hanikra. The most famous case of a Lebanese monkey crossing into Israel was six years ago. That monkey, named Tahtuh, took a long journey over several weeks. Unlike the monkeys that stopped at settlements near the border fence, Tahtuh reached as far as the Karmiel area. Nura Tavor, director of the Monkey Forest in Yodfat, told Walla six months ago: 'The monkey Tahtuh left Tyre, continued to the Bint Jbail area, and was picked up by Sister Beatrice, who established an animal farm in southern Lebanon called Peace Ark.' Tahtuh, with his wandering spirit, continued on his way, escaped from the farm, reached Zar'it, and carried on his journey until he was captured by Tavor in Majd el-Kurum. A special bond developed between Tavor and Sister Beatrice, and with the help of the IDF, Tahtuh was returned to Beatrice. Yisrael Sabag, a farmer from Moshav Dovev, said that the two monkeys chose to enter the shed of one of the homes in the moshav. 'The homeowner was shocked to see them. It's definitely something unusual. He gave them food, and they seemed hungry. Then he called the inspectors from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to take them,' Sabag said. He added that the arrival of the monkeys was an amusing incident, considering the difficult reality in the moshav. 'Almost all the families have returned to their homes, and only five families have not come back,' he said. 'But even though the families have returned, it's not the same. The atmosphere here is sad; you don't see people when you walk around the moshav. There's no joy and no sense of community like before. It feels like everything fell apart during the evacuation period, and now it's hard to rebuild it.' According to Sabag, 'Next week, we won't celebrate Shavuot, the farmers' holiday that we always celebrated. The moshav committee approached the residents, and only a few expressed interest in celebrating. "It's really sad, but the feeling is that the state no longer cares about what happens here. The war is over — and that's it. They've forgotten us.'
Daily Record
23-04-2025
- Daily Record
Victim of rare shark attack while snorkelling confirmed as dad-of-four
A father of four has died in a rare and tragic shark attack off Israel's Mediterranean coast, after entering the water to film sharks near the city of Hadera. Barak Tzach, 40, was confirmed as the victim following a two-day search by Israeli police and rescue teams, who said remains found at the scene matched his DNA. The attack, which was captured on video, appeared to show Tzach struggling in the water as horrified onlookers watched from the shore. Tzach's wife, Sarit, has spoken out to dispel speculation about the incident, stating in a Facebook post that her husband had gone into the water with snorkelling gear and a GoPro camera purely to document the sharks — not to feed or provoke them, reports the Mirror. 'Barak entered the water to dive and document the sharks, not to feed them or play with them,' she wrote. 'He entered the sea equipped with a snorkel, mask, fins, and a GoPro camera – without anything else, and certainly not with fish or bait, contrary to rumours.' She added that a fisherman who witnessed the attack said Tzach was filming the animals from a distance and used a camera stick only to gently push them away when they came too close. As he began to swim back to shore, he was suddenly attacked. The waters off Hadera have long attracted a population of endangered dusky and sandbar sharks, which often swim close to the power station's warm outflow. The presence of the sharks has turned the area into an unofficial wildlife viewing spot, drawing curious swimmers and snorkellers — some of whom have been seen tugging on the animals' tails or attempting to feed them, behaviour that has been condemned by conservationists and authorities. Swimming is officially banned in the area due to the danger, but many ignore the restrictions. 'This is undoubtedly a tragedy, and our hearts go out to the family,' said Yigael Ben-Ari, head of marine rangers at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. He noted that shark attacks in Israel are extremely rare, with only two other recorded incidents — one of them fatal — dating back to the 1940s. Authorities have closed the beach and surrounding areas following the incident and are continuing to search for further remains. Dusky sharks can grow up to four metres long and weigh as much as 350 kilograms, while sandbar sharks are smaller, but still powerful, reaching lengths of 2.5 metres. Videos filmed in recent days show the sharks swimming alarmingly close to beachgoers in shallow water, prompting renewed calls for tighter safety measures. Sarit Tzach said her husband was a careful, respectful diver and hoped that sharing the truth about his final moments would 'put an end to the rumours' surrounding his death.
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Israel shark attack: Remains confirmed of dad-of-four as wife 'tells truth' of fatal encounter
Barak Tzach, aged 40, has now been confirmed as the man who died after a two-day search off the coast of Hadera, Israel, following a shark attack witnessed by beachgoers A dad-of-four died after being attacked when snorkelling in the sea with his wife saying how he would film but not "touch or feed" the predators as she "tells the truth" of the moments leading up to the horror attack. Barak Tzach, aged 40, has now been confirmed as the man who died following a two-day search with police saying remains that had been found at the site of the attack on Israel's Mediterranean coast matched those of the man. Distressing footage shows the moment the man appeared to be battling with the predator in the sea off Hadera, in front of horrified crowds. A shiver of endangered dusky and sandbar sharks has been swimming close to the area for years, attracting onlookers who approach the sharks and drawing pleas from conservation groups for authorities to separate people from the wild animal. In recent days, the waters drew large crowds who were seen swimming with the sharks. Some tugged on their tails and threw them food. Authorities condemned the behaviour and have issued warnings not to approach the sharks. Swimming is banned at the beach, but bathers enter the water regardless. In a Facebook post, a woman identified by Israeli media as Tzach's wife, said he had entered the waters with snorkelling gear and an underwater camera. It was not his first time swimming in this part of the sea, she said. 'Barak entered the water to dive and document the sharks, not to feed them or play with them,' wrote Sarit Tzach. She said a fisherman who was with her husband said he did not touch or feed them. She stated: 'With deep sorrow and wordless pain, we announce the death of our husband and father. I would like to put an end to the rumours that are being spread around the circumstances of his death and tell the truth. 'On the day of his death, Barak arrived at the beach after a day of work, as he often did. He entered the sea equipped with a snorkel, mask, fins, and a GoPro camera – without anything else, and certainly not with fish or bait, contrary to rumours." When the sharks approached too closely, she said, he used the stick holding his camera to 'gently distance them.' The fisherman then called Tzach back to the shore and as he slowly returned he was attacked, Ms Tzach wrote. 'In a conversation I had with a fisherman who witnessed the incident, I was told that he swam alongside a shark and later moved slightly away in a more open direction,' she wrote. 'He filmed the sharks from a distance but didn't touch or feed them. When they started to get too close to him, he used the GoPro's stick to gently push them away. The fisherman called him back to shore, and Barak started swimming slowly toward him – and then he was attacked.' It was just the third recorded shark attack in Israel, according to Yigael Ben-Ari, head of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority's marine rangers. One person was killed in an attack in the 1940s, he said. Police and rescue teams held a two-day search after the attack and they said they were continuing to look for remains. Israeli authorities closed the beach and nearby ones as well after the attack. Israelis flocked in large numbers to the beach during a weeklong holiday, sharing the waters with a dozen or more sharks. Dusky sharks can grow to four metres long and weigh about 350 kilograms. Sandbar sharks are smaller, growing to about 2.5 metres and 100 kilograms. One video showed a shark swimming right up to bathers in thigh-deep water. 'What a huge shark!' the man filming exclaims, as the shark approaches him. 'Whoa! He's coming toward us!' 'Don't move!' he implores a boy standing nearby, who replies: 'I'm leaving.' The man then asks: 'What, are you afraid of the sharks?'
CBS News
23-04-2025
- CBS News
Shark attack victim's remains found in waters off popular beach in Israel after 2-day search
Why do shark attacks happen and how common are they? Why and how often do shark attacks happen? Why and how often do shark attacks happen? A man in Israel has died after he was attacked by a shark, police and the victim's wife said Wednesday, after he went swimming in an area that draws dozens of the marine predator and also curious beachgoers. After a two-day search, police said remains that had been found at the site of the attack on the country's Mediterranean coast matched those of the man. Israeli media identified him as Barak Tzach, a man in his 40s and a father of four. A shiver of endangered dusky and sandbar sharks has been swimming close to the area for years, attracting onlookers who approach the sharks and drawing pleas from conservation groups for authorities to separate people from the wild animal. In recent days, the waters drew large crowds who were seen swimming with the sharks. Some tugged on their tails and threw them food. Authorities condemned the behavior and have issued warnings not to approach the sharks. Swimming is banned at the beach, but bathers enter the water regardless. Israeli media have broadcast several videos in recent days showing sharks swimming near bathers, including children. One video appeared to show a swimmer being attacked. In a Facebook post, a woman identified by Israeli media as Tzach's wife, said he had entered the waters with snorkeling gear and an underwater camera. It was not his first time swimming in this part of the sea, she said. "Barak entered the water to dive and document the sharks, not to feed them or play with them," wrote Sarit Tzach. She said a fisherman who was with her husband said he did not touch or feed them. When the sharks approached too closely, she said, he used the stick holding his camera to "gently distance them." The fisherman then called Tzach back to the shore and as he slowly returned he was attacked, Sarit Tzach wrote. A shark swims in Mediterranean Sea as Israeli police are looking the area for a swimmer who they fear was attacked by a shark on Monday, near the Israeli city of Hadera, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Ariel Schalit / AP It was just the third recorded shark attack in Israel, according to Yigael Ben-Ari, head of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority's marine rangers. One person was killed in an attack in the 1940s, he said. Police and rescue teams held a two-day search after the attack and they said they were continuing to look for remains. Israeli authorities closed the beach and nearby ones as well after the attack. Doron Elmashali, commander of the fire and rescue unit involved in the operation, said underwater cameras were used in the search. Israelis flocked in large numbers to the beach during a weeklong holiday, sharing the waters with a dozen or more sharks. Dusky sharks can grow to 13 feet long and weigh about 750 pounds. Sandbar sharks are smaller, growing to about 8 feet and 220 pounds. One video shared by Israeli media showed a shark swimming right up to bathers in thigh-deep water. "What a huge shark!" the man filming exclaims, as the shark approaches him. "Whoa! He's coming toward us!" "Don't move!" he implores a boy standing nearby, who replies: "I'm leaving." The man then asks: "What, are you afraid of the sharks?" a couple swims next to a Sandbar shark in the Mediterranean Sea near the northern Israeli coastal city of Hadera, on November 22, 2022. - Dozens of sandbar and dusky sharks gathered off the coast of northern Israel, where the waters of the Mediterranean are warmer due to the impact of the Orot Rabin power plant. MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images Shark attacks — particularly deadly ones — dropped substantially last year around the world, according to a recent report by the International Shark Attack File, Of 88 alleged shark-human interactions that researchers say they investigated last year, 71 bites were confirmed. The report segmented those incidents into unprovoked and provoked bites, of which there were 47 and 24, respectively. Seven of the attacks were fatal, including four unprovoked attacks, according to the research. Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
The Independent
23-04-2025
- The Independent
Father of four's remains found after shark attack off Israel beach
A man has died after a shark attack off the Mediterranean coast of Israel, police and the victim's wife confirmed Wednesday. The remains, discovered after a two-day search, were identified as those of the victim, whom Israeli media named as Barak Tzach, a man in his 40s and a father of four. The attack happened in an area known to attract both sharks and beachgoers. A group of endangered dusky and sandbar sharks frequents the waters, drawing curious onlookers who often venture close to the animals. Conservation groups have previously raised concerns about the proximity of humans to the sharks, urging authorities to implement measures to separate people from the marine predators. In recent days, the waters drew large crowds who were seen swimming with the sharks. Some tugged on their tails and threw them food. Authorities condemned the behavior and have issued warnings not to approach the sharks. Swimming is banned at the beach, but bathers enter the water regardless. In a Facebook post, a woman identified by Israeli media as Tzach's wife, said he had entered the waters with snorkeling gear and an underwater camera. It was not his first time swimming in this part of the sea, she said. 'Barak entered the water to dive and document the sharks, not to feed them or play with them,' wrote Sarit Tzach. She said a fisherman who was with her husband said he did not touch or feed them. When the sharks approached too closely, she said, he used the stick holding his camera to 'gently distance them.' The fisherman then called Tzach back to the shore and as he slowly returned he was attacked, Sarit Tzach wrote. It was just the third recorded shark attack in Israel, according to Yigael Ben-Ari, head of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority's marine rangers. One person was killed in an attack in the 1940s, he said. Police and rescue teams held a two-day search after the attack and they said they were continuing to look for remains. Israeli authorities closed the beach and nearby ones as well after the attack. Israelis flocked in large numbers to the beach during a weeklong holiday, sharing the waters with a dozen or more sharks. Dusky sharks can grow to 4 meters (13 feet) long and weigh about 350 kilograms (750 pounds). Sandbar sharks are smaller, growing to about 2.5 meters (8 feet) and 100 kilograms (220 pounds). One video shared by Israeli media showed a shark swimming right up to bathers in thigh-deep water. 'What a huge shark!' the man filming exclaims, as the shark approaches him. 'Whoa! He's coming toward us!' 'Don't move!' he implores a boy standing nearby, who replies: 'I'm leaving.' The man then asks: 'What, are you afraid of the sharks?'
