Dozens of White Storks Found Electrocuted in Jordan Valley Due to Power Poles

Dozens of white storks were found dead yesterday in the Jordan Valley, victims of electrocution from electrical poles. This recurring annual phenomenon occurs at the same location near the Toblan waste site, north of Petzal Junction, where many birds stop during migration or winter. Yotam Bashan, a senior ornithologist at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), discovered about 30 dead storks along Road 90 and described the scene as shocking.

The storks perch on power poles that have exposed electrical components. Due to their large wingspan, they can simultaneously touch two points with different voltages or conductive parts, completing an electric circuit through their bodies and causing fatal electrocution. Dr. Yoav Perlman, director of the SPNI's bird center, explained that the Toblan waste and adjacent compost sites act as death traps for both white storks during migration and black kites in winter.

Despite efforts over the past decade to protect some poles by insulating or burying them, many remain unprotected, especially transformer poles where mitigation is more costly. The SPNI urges the Israel Electric Corporation to immediately secure or bury all high-voltage lines near Toblan, including transformer poles. They also call on the Jordan Valley Regional Council to prevent such deadly hazards at these sites.

White storks are iconic migratory birds, with about half of the global population passing through Israel each migration season. They face numerous threats along their routes, including hunting and infrastructure hazards. Israel is a signatory to international treaties protecting migratory birds, and conservationists stress the need for the state to fulfill its commitments by resolving this persistent electrocution issue once and for all.