Firefighters on Thursday morning rescued an eagle owl after it became trapped in a bird net in the community of Hoshaya in the Lower Galilee.
The bird of prey was exposed to the sun and unable to free itself, raising concerns that its condition could quickly deteriorate.
The incident began with a report to the Fire and Rescue Service's 102 emergency hotline. A crew from the Nof HaGalil station was dispatched to the scene, while the Northern District control center contacted the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and summoned its personnel.
The eagle owl, one of Israel's largest birds of prey and primarily active at night, remained trapped in the net while exposed to the sun. Due to the danger of dehydration, firefighters worked quickly and carefully to free it while attempting to avoid causing further injury.
After being rescued, the owl was transferred to Israel Nature and Parks Authority personnel for further treatment in the authority's wildlife ambulance, where it received fluids and additional medical care.
"When we arrived, we saw the eagle owl trapped in the net and exposed to the sun, unable to free itself," crew commander Rawad Bibar said. "We understood that we were in a race against time and that every minute in the sun could endanger it."
"We worked quickly and carefully until we managed to free it and transfer it to Israel Nature and Parks Authority personnel for further treatment. It's gratifying to know that the joint effort ended with its rescue," he added.