Jackal snatches baby from tent at the Gvanim Camp site

 

A jackal bit a one-year-old baby in a nearby tent at the Gvanim Stream camping site in Ramon Crater on Friday night.

According to the Nature and Parks Authority, the father said that he left a small opening in the tent when he went out at night, and returned after hearing his wife screaming while searching for the child. "Apparently, the jackal dragged the child a few meters before releasing him".

Magen David Adom (MDA) teams evacuated the baby to Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva in moderate condition, with bite marks on his face. Later, the hospital reported that the baby was mildly injured.

Soroka Hospital stated that the one-year-and-two-month-old baby is hospitalized in the pediatric emergency department. "Upon arrival, he underwent medical evaluation and imaging tests, and subsequently received the required medical treatment, including vaccinations. A notification was sent to the Ministry of Health, and now the baby is hospitalized in light condition."

MDA paramedic Doral Arzawan said, "We arrived at the camping site in Ramon Crater and saw, near the tents where travelers were sleeping, a man in his thirties holding a one-year-old baby with bite marks on his neck and face and jaw grip marks of an animal (apparently a jackal)."

"The baby suffered deep penetrating injuries and bruises; he was fully conscious and in pain. We provided advanced medical treatment for pain and monitored vital signs while urgently evacuating him to the hospital, where his condition was defined as moderate and stable. We were told that apparently a jackal dragged the baby from the tent and people who noticed chased the jackal and released him. I have been capturing snakes for years and know animals, but I have never encountered such a bizarre event, which fortunately ended in a big miracle."