IDF spotters whose job it is to watch out for terrorists attempting to cross the security barrier in northern Judea and Samaria have been on the lookout for wild animals as well. The spotters, all female soldiers, were also given the task of counting the appearance of wildlife on both sides of the fence as a means of helping the Israeli Society for the Preservation of Nature assess damage to the local environment by the fence.

Some 500 deer, wild boars, porcupines and hedgehogs were spotted in recent weeks, according to an IDF publication. Logs showed that the number of wild boars is skyrocketing, which might explain farmer complaints about destroyed crops. The studies took place near the Palestinian Authority towns of Kalkilya and Tulkarm.

Environmentalists have suggested creating small openings in the security barrier so that animals can cross back and forth in order to enable natural migration patterns to continue.