Stray camel kills Israeli motorist, part of ongoing problem in Negev region

In the past decade, more than 350 motorists had been injured and over a dozen killed by stray camels.

By Aaron Sull World Israel News

A 30-year-old man was killed Tuesday night after colliding into a camel on a highway in southern Israel.

Road fatalities caused by stray camels have been a recurring problem in the Jewish State.

According to Regavim, a movement for protecting Israel’s resources, the police respond to 1,000 stray camel complaints on an annual basis.

“Tragically, tonight we are once again seeing the unnecessary loss of life on the blood-drenched roads of the Negev. This is an inconceivable price to pay; the tragedy is compounded by the fact that it was both foreseeable and avoidable,” says Meir Deutsch, Director General of Regavim.

In the past decade, more than 350 motorists have been injured and over a dozen killed by stray camels. Only recently did the government step in to help police track those responsible.

The Camel Law passed in June 2018 requires all camels to be registered and identified with an ID chip. Prior to the law, owners were only required to attach a tag to the camel’s ear for identification purposes.

However, since its passage, only one-third of camels in southern Israel have been chipped and registered by Israel’s Veterinary Services.

“I call upon the incoming Minister of Agriculture Alon Schuster, who is well aware of this terrible situation that has claimed so many victims, to roll up his sleeves without delay and to ensure that the Camel Law is implemented immediately and in full,” said Deutsch.

The Agriculture Ministry estimates that 200 to 300 camel herds roam around the country, mostly in southern Israel, and about 1,500 are born every year.