Dozens of White Storks Die from Electrocution on Power Lines in Jordan Valley

In recent days, dozens of white storks have died after being electrocuted on power poles near the Toblan waste site in the Jordan Valley. Yotam Bashan, a senior ornithologist with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), discovered about 30 dead storks along Road 90 near the Toblan site, north of Petzal Junction. This recurring annual phenomenon poses a significant threat to migrating and wintering storks that use the area as a resting point during their migration between Europe and Africa.

The storks often perch on exposed electrical components on power poles, which can cause fatal electrocution when the birds simultaneously touch two points with different electrical potentials. Dr. Yoav Perlman, head of SPNI’s ornithology center, described the Toblan waste and compost sites as "death traps" for white storks and black kites, with many birds killed each year by power lines owned by the Israel Electric Corporation. Although some poles have been insulated or buried following requests from the Nature and Parks Authority, many remain unprotected, especially transformer poles where mitigation is more costly.

SPNI is urging the Israel Electric Corporation to immediately insulate or bury all power lines near the Toblan site to prevent further bird deaths. They also call on the Jordan Valley Regional Council to take action to eliminate these hazards at the waste and compost sites. White storks are a prominent migratory species passing through Israel, with about half of the global population, approximately 500,000 birds, migrating through the country each season. Perlman emphasized Israel’s international commitments to protect migratory birds and urged the government to address this ongoing threat once and for all.