From the General who raised lions to “Abu Malek”: What drives people to raise exotic animals at home?

Shortly after this, reports came in about the capture of a crocodile and an anaconda snake found in a private home. We set out to examine the reasons behind the growing trend of raising exotic animals at home in Israel.

Earlier this week, the police reported that as part of an operational effort led by detectives from the Arad police station and guided by intelligence, a monkey was found chained in an open area near the Al-Athamin settlement by Highway 25. This came after several monkeys and lion cubs had been found in various locations across the country in recent weeks.

According to the police statement, the monkey was rescued by officers, found to be injured, and was handed over to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) for treatment and further medical checks. The monkey was later transferred to a protected shelter.

This morning, police reported that the Shin Bet (Security Service) detectives had rescued a monkey and a parrot in Tel Aviv, which were also handed over to the INPA. Additionally, another monkey was rescued in the Negev after being found in an open area in a Bedouin settlement. To date, (as of this report), police forces in the Negev, in cooperation with the INPA, have rescued 12 monkeys and two lion cubs, totaling 16 monkeys and four lions captured.

At the same time, detectives from the central unit of the Border Police and the INPA’s inspectors found a crocodile and other forbidden animals in a house in the south of the country. These animals were found as part of intelligence received about their illegal possession.

Among the wild animals discovered were a crocodile, an anaconda, poisonous frogs, and several different species of lizards—all exotic and dangerous to both humans and the local ecosystem. All the animals were transferred to the INPA for further care. A criminal indictment is expected to be filed against the individuals who possessed these animals and others involved.

Last night (Wednesday), reports came in about the seizure of wild birds, including some exotic species, found in an apartment in Ashkelon. Among the animals seized were a goldfinch, a European buzzard, a Japanese nightingale, and pheasants, all of which are illegal to own. Many of these birds were found to be in poor health and were transferred for further veterinary care.

It is important to note that keeping these animals poses a danger not only to the smugglers and the individuals holding the animals, but to those around them as well. Two years ago, the INPA and Border Police found venomous cobras and other dangerous snakes in the possession of a Jerusalem resident. The venom of these snakes, similar to the African cobra and mamba species, affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis, even leading to death if untreated. Had one of the inspectors or officers been bitten, death would have been inevitable, as there is no antidote to the venom in Israel.

According to the indictment, a variety of wild animals were also found in the home, including five tortoises, a soft-shell Chinese turtle, a black water turtle, African snails, and more. The high number of wild animals seized in recent weeks is just the tip of the iceberg regarding the growing trend in Israel of raising exotic animals at home.

Alongside the private raising of these animals, there is a full-fledged industry of animal smuggling and a global and local trade. Police estimate that in the last three years, lion cubs and monkeys have been smuggled into Israel from Jordan, with most of the animals—snakes, parrots, tigers, and rare monkeys—being smuggled from Egypt, Sinai, and Ben Gurion Airport.

History of Keeping Wild Animals in Israel

The norm of raising wild animals at home didn’t start in recent years. In the early decades of the country, there were people who kept lions at home, and they were not necessarily from the Bedouin communities.

In July 1968, Rehavam Ze’evi was appointed as the commander of Central Command—a position among many he held in the IDF. During this time, he led the efforts against terrorists crossing the Jordan River and participated in over 120 chases to capture them.

As a token of appreciation for his service, then-Defense Minister Moshe Dayan gave Ze’evi lion cubs that he had received from a French nobleman. The lions became a huge hit and a real attraction among the soldiers stationed at the N’vei Yaakov base at the time. The cubs were kept in a cage at the base, and special permission was required to visit them.

About two years ago, the country was in an uproar after a lion cub, named "Abu Malek," became a viral sensation when videos of him circulated online. The police from the Negev District, along with the Border Police, attempted to track him down. Eventually, the cub, who had been named “Zion,” was located in an apartment in Ramat Gan, handed over to the INPA, and later transferred to a wildlife farm in South Africa.

Police claimed that the cub changed hands several times: "It is suspected that the lion cub was sold multiple times in recent weeks by different suspects who held ownership and traded it."

In February 2021, a young monkey of the green monkey species was caught after being held by "influencers" who turned it into a pet and posted videos of it on TikTok. The baby monkey was taken from its mother when it was three months old and smuggled through Jordan. It was confined to a birdcage, which is illegal, in an apartment in a luxury building in Ramat Gan.

Thanks to vigilant and concerned online users, this information was passed on to the INPA enforcement department. In cooperation with the Border Police, the monkey was located, and the individuals responsible were fined 2,100 NIS each. In October of the previous year, an indictment was filed against a senior criminal for the illegal possession of a “small gibbon” monkey, which is a protected species. According to the indictment, this monkey had been taken from its mother and, instead of living with its own kind, was raised by humans. The price of this monkey on Israel’s black market is estimated at 50,000 NIS.

A Symbol of Status, "Shufoni"

In many Arab countries, like Dubai and Saudi Arabia, it is common for people to keep lions as a symbol of power or wealth. Some try to imitate this trend and use these animals as a status symbol.

Sometimes, these animals are used as a way to increase the popularity of individuals on social media. The animals are passed from person to person, used as objects of pride for social media posts.

An investigation officer from the police notes, "For people in the Bedouin sector or in the Palestinian territories, raising lion cubs or tigers is a form of economic status, a symbol of strength."

The High Profits and Low Risks

In addition to the symbolic value of keeping these animals, the financial aspect is another significant incentive. The wildlife trade is the third-largest black market industry in the world, generating about $230 billion annually. According to estimates, the wildlife smuggling industry in Israel generates several hundred thousand shekels each month.

The black-market prices of smuggled animals vary depending on the species and demand. A lion cub, for example, costs between $20,000 and $25,000. A rare monkey can be sold for $2,500 but can also reach up to $10,000. A tiger cub can be sold for $15,000, a crocodile for $3,000 to $5,000, and Burmese pythons, cobras, or water snakes can be sold for $2,000 to $8,000.

Meanwhile, the penalty for trading wild animals remains low and largely ineffective. According to the second amendment to the Wild Animal Protection Law, the penalty for trading in a wild animal (buying, selling, exporting, re-exporting, importing, and marine collection) is one year in prison or a fine. According to a report by Ynet in 2024, only 38 wildlife trafficking cases were registered, and only 86 cases of illegal hunting.

In contrast to Israel, in 24 countries worldwide, illegal wildlife trafficking is defined as an organized crime offense, and in 58 countries, such crimes can be prosecuted under anti-money laundering laws. In the United States and India, wildlife crimes are specifically defined as crimes tied to money laundering.

For example, a man from the United States who traded in whale shark fins (called "unicorn whales") was sentenced to 33 months in prison. In Indonesia, a man who smuggled lion cubs and turtles was sentenced to four years in prison and fined $68,000.

How to Legally Raise Exotic Animals at Home

Israeli law requires obtaining a special permit for the possession of any wild animal that the Israel Nature and Parks Authority defines as a wild species. Each year, the INPA publishes a list of permitted species to own under the “white list,” which includes various types of turtles, birds, and others.

In addition to the white list, there is a general ownership permit published annually, which allows private breeders to own the listed species without the need for additional permits from the INPA.

Any wild animal or protected species not listed under the general ownership permit requires a valid ownership permit for possession. For those who own more than four animals, an annual fee of about 270 NIS must be paid. Every breeder must report the number and type of animals they possess, and based on this, it will be determined whether they need to pay the fee each year.