Damage by vertebrates to plastic irrigation pipes in Israel

Plastic irrigation pipes are damaged in Israel by vertebrates — both mammals and birds — of the following species: Aves: Piciformes, Picidae —Dendrocopos syriacus. Mammalia: Rodentia —Mus musculus, Rattus rattus alexandrinus, Nesokia indica, Spalax ehrenbergi, andHystrix indica; Carnivora: Canidae —Canis familiaris, C. aureus, andVulpes vulpes; Mustelidae —Meles meles; Viveridae —Herpestes ichneumon; Artiodactyla, Suiformes: Suidae —Sus scrofa. It is assumed that the reasons these vertebrates attack and damage the pipes are the excitement regulation mechanism; the habit of gnawing or pecking; playing; and a search for drinking water.