Israeli State Sues Crocodile Farm for Over One Million Shekels After Killing Hundreds of Crocodiles

The Israeli State Attorney's Office has filed a counterclaim exceeding one million shekels against the operator of the crocodile farm in Petzael, seeking reimbursement for expenses incurred after the state killed hundreds of crocodiles at the site. The lawsuit states that the government had to intervene and perform actions the farm was obligated to carry out to eliminate dangers to the public and animals. This legal move follows a February lawsuit filed by the farm against the state demanding 53 million shekels, alleging that state agents unlawfully killed all the crocodiles at the iconic farm, which had operated for 40 years.

The state’s defense requests dismissal of the farm’s claim, arguing that the government acted lawfully and based on professional judgment, and that the farm’s long-term mismanagement necessitated official intervention. The counterclaim details a 2011 incident when dozens of crocodiles escaped, prompting 14 years of state inspections, warnings, hearings, and repeated demands to fix safety, security, and animal welfare violations. Despite these efforts, the farm allegedly ignored orders, failed to correct deficiencies, and continued operations, creating ongoing risks to humans and animals.

Veterinary assessments cited in the suit describe conditions amounting to cruelty and abuse, with some crocodiles suffering severe injuries including amputations from cannibalism and fights caused by poor holding conditions. Due to these failures, the state had to secure the farm, enforce regulations, and ultimately euthanize 270 Nile crocodiles after exhausting all alternatives, citing immediate and real threats to public safety.

The farm, owned by "Bitan Nissim and Sons" and established in 1987 in coordination with the state, claims the mass killing on August 3, 2023, was unjustified and denies any safety incidents that endangered the public. The farm’s lawsuit accuses state authorities of executing over 800 protected wild crocodiles, their private property, causing severe financial and non-financial damages and loss of profits. The state counters that these costs resulted solely from the farm’s negligence and should not be borne by public funds.