The mass execution of crocodiles at the Petazaal farm in the Jordan Valley in August was carried out over fear that the predators could be used in a terrorist incident, Ynet reported earlier this week, citing a letter reviewed by the Israeli media site.
The Civil Administration and the Nature and Parks Authorities both claimed in the letter that the killings were carried out to avoid a potential "terrorist incident."
Both bodies theorized that terror groups could have breached the fence and dispersed hundreds of crocodiles in the West Bank.
An investigation will not be carried out into the killings, the authorities claimed, despite the farm owner previously claiming that the animals were killed brutally, without warning, and he was not compensated for their loss.
The Let Animals Live association, Animals, Freedom Farms, Keren Or Farms, and other organizations also widely condemned the incident and demanded an investigation.
"The decision to carry out the shooting was made out of a desire to reduce the suffering of the crocodiles, who lived in poor infrastructure and difficult living conditions, along with protecting the public from immediate risks," the organizations said.
They also claimed that visitors to the park were recorded harassing the crocodiles by throwing objects at them and grabbing their tails.
It was also determined, following multiple instances of crocodiles escaping the farm, that the heightened security situation ultimately made the risk of terrorists freeing the animals too significant.
In a statement confirming they had received a letter from the authorities, Let Animals Live responded to the claim that the animals could be used by terrorists as “bizarre to say the least.”
“What would have been a reasonable and humane measure against said 'terrorist attack' and public endangerment? To improve the farm’s fence or to kill all the crocodiles? If anyone is truly convinced that the latter is the right option, why choose to do it at night, secretly, and not respond to the freedom of information requests we have filed? Why lie to us and deny when we inquired prior to the massacre if there was any intention to harm the crocodiles?” the association insisted.
“The authorities also claim that the reason for the killing was to stop the animals from further suffering. Would it make more sense to improve their living conditions at the farm or to kill them as if it were euthanasia, given that the authorities specifically mentioned in their report that many of the crocodiles were healthy and fat?
“The Civil Administration and the Nature and Parks Authority now declare that they have no intention of investigating this horrific incident and refrain from answering freedom of information requests, thereby clarifying the real picture: public workers assigned by law to protect wildlife allow and carry out cruel and vicious harm to helpless, cooped-up animals, making unfounded excuses for their actions in hindsight. And the crocodiles join a long line of animals being shot to death, with the permission of the authorities that are in charge of keeping them safe: the wolves, the crocodiles, the boars, birds, and many other animals.”
The Jerusalem Post has contacted Let Animals Live to request access to the letter.