Electrocuted Storks Found in Jordan Valley Highlight Danger of Exposed Power Poles

A birdwatcher discovered approximately 30 dead white storks near the Tovlan waste site in the Jordan Valley on Sunday, apparently electrocuted by nearby utility poles. Yotam Bashan, a senior birdwatcher with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), found the carcasses while driving along Route 90.

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The nearby utility poles serve as places for them to perch and rest. The danger is primarily created by poles with exposed electrical components.

Bashan explained that the utility poles, which migrating storks use as resting spots, have exposed electrical components that are particularly dangerous for the birds. "Because of their size and broad wingspan, when the storks land on a pole or spread their wings on it, they may simultaneously touch two points with different electrical voltages, or a conductive component and a grounded part of the pole," he said. This creates an electrical circuit that electrocutes the birds.

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Because of their size and broad wingspan, when the storks land on a pole or spread their wings on it, they may simultaneously touch two points with different electrical voltages, or a conductive component and a grounded part of the pole. This closes an electrical circuit and electrocutes the bird, which usually ends in death.

This is not an isolated incident; Bashan noted that dozens of stork carcasses are found in the area annually. Dr. Yoav Perlman, Director of SPNI’s Birding Center, described the Tovlan waste site and adjacent compost site as "death trap[s] for white storks and black kites." He stated that the power lines in the area, some belonging to the Israel Electric Corporation, have killed many birds over the past decade.

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Over the past 10 years, every year, this line has killed many white storks during the migration seasons and many black kites during the winter.

While some utility poles in the area have been protected or buried underground at the request of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Perlman emphasized that many remain unprotected. He urged the Israel Electric Corporation and the Jordan Valley Regional Council to take immediate action before more birds fall victim to these hazards.

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