Of the 20 griffon vultures known to live in the Israeli side of the Golan Heights, eight were found dead on Friday morning in an apparent poisoning that is currently under investigation by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
In addition to the eight killed, two more survived and were being treated for poisoning. One fox and two jackals were also found dead.
"This is a very sad event," the authority said in a statement.
In the past, farmers have used poison against "nuisance" species that harm their livestock or crops, including foxes and jackals.
Israel was once home to several breeding vulture species, though their populations have experienced a sharp and consistent decline since the 1980s, with several near or already having reached extinction.
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