Briliant and hilarious

A walk on the Wild Side: Meet Israel's most unusual soldiers - African wildlife

As one base commander puts it: "Some soldiers serve with tanks, some with technology, and some happen to be African antelopes. That's just how we roll in the IDF."

Gila Isaacson

JAN 4, 2025 18:54

2 min read

In what might be the world's most unexpected safari, African antelopes and Atlas Mountain sheep have enlisted in the Israeli Defense Forces - sort of. These four-legged "recruits" are serving their country by chomping through vegetation in classified military bases across Israel.

"They're probably our most well-behaved service members," jokes one officer at the Northern Command base, where massive eland antelopes - weighing nearly a ton - gracefully patrol the grounds. "And they never complain about the food."

Originally brought in as a creative solution to prevent fires and control snake populations, these exotic animals have become unofficial members of some of Israel's most secretive military units. While most soldiers have to deal with basic training, these unique service members enjoy sprawling territories and, as officials note, "pretty cushy living conditions."

But like any soldiers, sometimes they go AWOL. Military environmental experts admit that occasional jailbreaks through the fences have led to some unusual situations. Imagine driving along the Lebanese border and spotting an African antelope - it's happened!

"In some bases, we're talking hundreds of animals," explains a military environmental specialist. "They're like an elite unit specialized in vegetation control, just with hooves instead of boots."

The IDF has even established a specialized "Nature Defense Team" to manage these unusual recruits, working alongside national environmental authorities. It's a far cry from typical military operations, but it's proving surprisingly effective.

Looking ahead, the military is considering allowing public tours to view these remarkable animals once current operations conclude. Until then, these might be Israel's most classified safari animals - serving their adopted country one bite of vegetation at a time.

Kann News contributed to this article.

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