Israel euthanises group of crocodiles after repeated escapes

- A group of crocodiles kept for decades in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank have been euthanised following repeated escapes and neglect.
- Israeli authorities confirmed the culling, citing threats to local residents and the inhumane conditions the animals were kept in.
- COGAT, the Israeli defence body, stated the crocodiles were in an abandoned compound, suffering from poor conditions, insufficient food, and cannibalistic behaviour.
- The crocodiles were initially brought to the town of Petzael as a tourist attraction, but the business venture failed, and they were later purchased by an entrepreneur hoping to sell their skin.
- Authorities had previously spent hundreds of thousands of Israeli shekels to re-fence the dilapidated farm, which had been in disrepair since 2013, due to concerns about escapes.

