What is between the Golan Heights and Masai Mara?

In Ramah as well as in Mera, wild animals are poisoned to prevent harm to farm animals, in the Golan (and Negev) farmers and shepherds poison jackals and wolves, to "protect" sheep and cattle. The poisonings also come as acts of revenge for predation or because of a grudge against the conservationists 

What is between the Golan Heights and Masai Mara? In Ramah as well as in Mera, wild animals are poisoned to prevent harm to farm animals, in the Golan (and Negev) farmers and shepherds poison jackals and wolves, to "protect" sheep and cattle. The poisonings also come as acts of revenge for predation or because of a grudge against the conservationists.

The poisonings are aimed at predators, but the other victims are raptors and especially eagles in Masai Mara (Kenya) poisoning predatory shepherds and especially lions as "revenge" for predation on sheep and cattle. The imagery in the way it works is not accidental. These are also found in areas where nature is special and unique.

In the Golan there is a rich variety of animals and birds, especially a population of eagles. The Masai Mara is considered one of the richest reserves in the world. Here as well as there there are those who harm uniqueness.

For the Maasai shepherds, the famous reserve is a source of losses and frustration because of the prohibition to graze their cattle in the reserved areas and because of predation by the predatory "neighbors" who are protected by law. Added to this is the governmental corruption that prevents a fair distribution of the reserve's profits, so in order to exist and to try and reduce the damage to their property, the Maasai must break the law and kill protected animals.

At the beginning of December 2015, the death of eight lions from the famous band called the Marsh Pride was reported. The case became public because of continuous surveillance of them that went on for many years, as well as television programs dedicated to the egg band. The lions died from poison placed by shepherds who entered the reserve with their herds against the law. Since there are predators in the reserve, it is clear that the violent encounter will happen sooner or later.

In the Golan (in the Negev Mountains) there are cattle and sheep herders whose herds are in areas that overlap the living areas of jackals and wolves. These also do not avoid "light" terror and the revenge of the shepherds comes in the form of the criminal activity of - mass poisoning.

In both cases, in both areas, the poisonings are a severe blow to the natural environment, which stems from the problem caused by the need to preserve nature in rural areas, where human inhabitants live who need to exist and make a living despite or together with preservation.

Due to unique circumstances, for years a process has been underway in which the Maasai have less land and more herds. At the same time they are not allowed to enter the reserves. Fenced agricultural farms harm the movement of cattle herds as well as the migration routes of wild animals.
For wild animals, the authorities enforce the opening of migration corridors. In order to compensate the Maasai, there was supposed to be a distribution of the profits of the reserve. Tourists who visit the reserves pay about 80 dollars per day. To this must be added the profits of accommodation in lodges. Over the years, the Maasai herders have been promised significant portions of the profits, but these promises are not fulfilled due to governmental corruption at all levels.
In Kenya, they recognize and understand the moral and economic importance of preserving the natural environment, therefore the killing of the lions from the swamp group" sparked a discussion with many participants that spread outside of Kenya and reached the countries of southern Africa, where the problem is also acute, and where the penalties for harming wild animals are very heavy.
The two shepherds who poisoned the herd of the egg" were sentenced to a fine of 200,000 dollars or a long prison term.

With us, after every poisoning and after harming wild animals, there is an outcry in the press, and after one day, everyone forgets, except for those involved in conservation.
Let's mention just one case in which a "local hero" came out to protect the zoo of Kibbutz Ein-Gadi from a tigress that was taking care of a cub, armed with a hunting rifle. When the "hero" met the tigress, fortunately he shot himself in the leg, and the tigress was captured and removed from the area. The "hero" continued to limp and tell "practicalities".

Conservationists and researchers work to preserve and protect species and their habitat. In the decisions made by the authorities there must be a balance between human needs and conservation needs. Often the decisions are not balanced and there is a lack of serious attempt to strengthen locals by including them in the conservation procedures and the distribution of the profits that will be an incentive and encouragement, so that the villagers will see the conservation of nature as an advantage and profit and not an obstacle.

One of the ways in which the villagers can benefit from the preservation of the natural environment is a licensed hunter. Without justifying or denying the morality of the act, it is clear that when the hunter is properly supervised there are profits from it that should be directed to the well-being of the natural environment and the well-being of the residents. Licensed commercial hunting takes place in many countries and the proceeds are directed to conservation.
Following the famous killing of a lion in Zimbabwe http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/cecil-the-lion-killed-by-hunter/ the commercial hunter came up for discussion and as a result a ban on commercial hunters and hunters for commercial purposes was implemented in Chobe, Botswana the locals. The result was that the residents who lost their legal livelihood became "subcontractors" of hunting criminals and the wildlife population was harmed. Which once again clarifies the essential need for the integration of the locals in nature conservation activities and a fair distribution of profits.

Here, the poisoners are usually not caught, and even if they are, they receive ridiculous punishments. In the two places so different, the solution is similar. Here and there the residents must understand the importance of conservation which will be much easier when they see how conservation is a source of profit. In other words, the conservation profits must also be divided among the residents. In Kenya there is governmental corruption that prevents the herders from being included in the profits. Our profits are much smaller, but we would like to believe and think that the shepherds and farmers understand the need for a living and diverse natural environment. This understanding should be reinforced with much heavier punishments than are given today.
Criminals belong in prison.