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Following the posting on social media of a video of lion cubs and monkeys believed to be held in the Negev region, the police launched an operation in the last week in an attempt to locate the animals. On Saturday night officers from the Segev Shalom police station and soldiers stationed in the area located a lion cub in the Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj in the Negev. At the same time, detective teams from the Negev Police Department located a monkey found inside a school in the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva. Later, detectives from the Beersheba station located another monkey near the Beersheba prison.
The police said that all the animals were safely handed over to the Nature and Parks Authority inspectors. They will later be transferred to a protected shelter for treatment and medical examinations. The police said that, in accordance with the instructions of the Negev Region Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Amir Klein, police forces will continue their efforts to locate suspects involved and rescue animals kept illegally.
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Lion cub found in the Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj in the Negev
(צילום: דוברות המשטרה)
Wildlife trafficking is now the world’s third-largest illegal trade, generating an estimated $230 billion annually. Despite these animals belonging in the wild, disregard for conservation and lax enforcement leave authorities overwhelmed.
Last week, social media videos featuring two lion cubs and a monkey threw Israeli authorities into disarray. The police, in cooperation with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and Border Police, launched an investigation. Officers from the Segev Shalom station eventually located a juvenile green vervet monkey, a species native to African savannas, in an abandoned shack in the Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj. No arrests were made, but the monkey was transferred to the Nature and Parks Authority for medical care and disease screening. Smuggled monkeys are considered a health risk to anyone in contact with them. Another monkey was found in Bir Hadaj the following day.
Shortly after, another video surfaced showing a monkey in a cage with the caption: "You catch one, we’ll bring 10 more." Additional videos showed giraffes for sale, along with more lion cubs. The message from the traffickers is clear: they believe they can operate with impunity. Animals are smuggled from Jordan, either through border crossings or by directly crossing the border, often without interference.
Owning rare wildlife is increasingly a status symbol for the upper class and criminal world, but the trend has also reached Israel’s middle class. The phenomenon is particularly common in Arab communities, where exotic animals are a marker of social standing.
"These animals are smuggled under cruel conditions. We see it in the cases of reptiles and birds. Most of the birds die in transit, stuffed into boxes and bags without food or water," Adva Peretz, an enforcement officer specializing in wildlife trafficking at the Nature and Parks Authority, explains.
"People plunder rare species from the wild — stealing eggs and chicks from birds, or separating young mammals from their mothers. We see this trend worldwide, including in the United States. The latest lion cub videos show them ripped from their mother. As they grow, these lions will become extremely dangerous," she adds.
These animals pose a risk not only to the smugglers and their owners but also to the public. Two years ago, authorities found highly venomous sea snakes at the Jerusalem home of Lidor Nissim. Their venom attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis and respiratory failure. With no antivenom available in Israel, a single bite would likely have been fatal.
According to the indictment, additional wildlife was found in Nissim’s home, including five turtle species, an Asian softshell turtle, a black river turtle, and African snails.
Wildlife trafficking surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Shay Peretz, lead prosecutor for the Nature and Parks Authority. "There are now criminal gangs involved — some linked to organized crime," he said. The Authority has approached Israel’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority to classify wildlife trafficking as a predicate offense, allowing authorities to confiscate assets linked to the crime.
Currently, wildlife trafficking carries a maximum penalty of only one year in prison. "Worldwide, wildlife trafficking is considered a serious predicate offense. The UN has called for stricter penalties, but in Israel, legislation is stuck in bureaucracy," Peretz explained. "The Justice Ministry has yet to act."
The price for exotic animals can be staggering: a lion cub sells for up to 100,000 shekels ($27,500), a cobra for 11,800 shekels ($3,250), and a hornbill bird for about 400,000 shekels $110,200).
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Post showing caged monkey and says: 'You catch one, we’ll bring 10 more'ds:
(Photo: Social media)
In 58 countries, wildlife crimes are prosecuted under anti-money laundering laws. In 24 countries, wildlife trafficking is classified as a serious criminal offense. In the U.S., a man trafficking narwhal tusks was sentenced to 33 months in prison. In Indonesia, a man smuggling lion cubs and turtles was sentenced to four years in prison and fined $68,000.
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Israel, however, struggles to enforce existing laws. In 2024, just 38 wildlife trafficking cases and 86 illegal hunting cases were prosecuted — a drop in the ocean. Weak penalties fail to deter offenders.
Take the case of 34-year-old Shlomo Alush from Bnei Brak, who purchased an endangered Galápagos tortoise named "Edmund" for 5,000 shekels. After being seized by authorities, Edmund was relocated to a Swiss breeding program. Alush was charged but received a light sentence: a 30-day suspended prison term and a 5,000 shekel fine.
The Nature and Parks Authority has since appealed, arguing that "Alush’s punishment is not a deterrent and may encourage continued trafficking. It sends the message that crime pays."
Despite global efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, Israel’s inability to impose meaningful consequences leaves traffickers emboldened and endangered species at risk.