Some 2,000 runners took part in the Crane Race held in Lake Hula Park on November 23rd, 2018. This colorful annual event, which involves all segments of Israeli society, aims to promote the appreciation of birds in Israel and to support the crane-feeding project, which feeds tens of thousands of migrating cranes wintering in the Hula Valley.
The pleasant weather this year was optimal for the annual Crane Race, which was run on a flat, surfaced track against the magnificent backdrop of
Hula Lake, its birds and its wildlife.
8th annual Cranes Race at Hula Lake Park.
Photo: Michael Huri, KKL-JNF Photo Archive
For the runners, this was a unique sporting experience. The race was held in three heats: the Crane Heat, a competitive route 21.1 kilometers in length; the 10-kilometer Hoopoe Heat, also competitive; and the fun-run Warbler Heat, just 5 kilometers long. The race, which was held for its eighth year, is designed to promote ornithology in Israel, and participants – families, groups and individuals – arrived from all over the country.
The race is held in wintertime, when Hula Lake Park is bustling with hundreds of thousands of birds. Winter is also the time of the cranes, which throng the lake in tens of thousands at this time of the year, giving the race its name. The event is jointly organized by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Ernst & Young, KKL-JNF, the Israel Marathon Association and the Hoopoe Foundation. The race plays an important role in advancing ornithology in Israel.
The cranes that flock to the lake are among Galilee’s most remarkable tourist attractions, and hundreds of thousands of people visit the site every year to observe the thrilling and impressive sight of thousands of large birds flapping and chattering in the lake’s shallow waters.
Without proper provision, however, the cranes would cause very serious damage to crops growing in farmland. Since 1999, a large number of organizations have joined the feeding project designed to protect the cranes and prevent them from causing any harm. While very successful – over the past decade farmland has remained undamaged – the feeding project is also extremely expensive, and the Crane Race is intended, in part, to help raise funds for the continuation of this important undertaking.
“The race is designed to consolidate Hula Lake Park’s status as a venue for both popular and extreme sports and, at the same time, to raise money for the crane-feeding project, which costs more every year,” explained Director of KKL-JNF’s Northern Region Dr. Omri Boneh. “KKL-JNF is involved in the race because it promotes both sport for the general public and the conservation of nature in Israel.”
Israel Marathon Association CEO Ofer Padan told us: “Despite the wintry forecasts, thousands of runners turned up to take part in the race, which extols the value of nature conservation. There was a wonderful atmosphere, and we are already greatly looking forward to next year’s event.”