The conflict situation in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas is weighing on the health of animals transported by boats.
Thousands of sheep are thus stranded on board an Australian ship due to fire from Yemen's Houthi rebels, who prevented their transit through the Red Sea.
Animal rights organizations are alarmed and are demanding that the animals be unloaded.
Departing on January 5 from the port of Perth, on the west coast of Australia, the livestock ship MV Bahijah returned there this Friday with its cargo after having turned around.
The Ministry of Agriculture speaks of a “deterioration of the security situation”.
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Animal rights groups Peta and RSPCA are calling for these animals to stop being kept on board after having already spent nearly four weeks there.
“We want a decision to be made as quickly as possible,” said RSPCA official in Australia, Suzanne Fowler, on Friday, calling for these animals to be “under no circumstances re-exported”.
“No significant concerns”, according to two veterinarians
According to Peta, which published an open letter to this effect to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the ship is transporting 16,500 heads of livestock, mainly sheep.
The Minister of Agriculture, Adam Fennessy, acknowledged that the matter arouses “strong public interest” and indicated that his services are working towards a “solution as quickly as possible”.
The ministry sent two veterinarians on board who “did not note any significant health or animal welfare concerns,” its services said.
The Animals Australia association denounces the process.
According to her, the number of animal doctors is too low compared to the number of animals.
Furthermore, “no independent observer” came on board.
There is *one vet* for 15 THOUSAND stressed, exhausted sheep & cattle trapped inside the MV Bahijah, now enduring a heatwave in filthy thoughts they've been stuck in for weeks.
And there was no independent observer on this ship.
What do you think it's like for the animals on board?
pic.twitter.com/NRrTgt1vBg
— Animals Australia (@AnimalsAus) January 30, 2024
Australia's centre-left government has promised to end the export of live cattle, but has not given a timetable.
The country exported 670,000 cows and 590,000 sheep in 2023.
According to an estimate from the European Union at the end of January, maritime traffic in the Red Sea fell by 22% due to attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels in this axis through which, before the conflict, between 12% and 15% of traffic transited. global.