Jan 31, 2024 at 9:25 am
Sixteen thousand animals are stuck off the coast of Australia in a ship that cannot continue its journey due to the unrest in the Red Sea. Activists are concerned because the temperature in the ship rises to 40 degrees during the day.
The ship with the animals on board, most of them sheep, left Australia for Israel on January 5. But Houthi rebels in Yemen are targeting ships in the Red Sea, especially those bound for Israel. That is why the Australian government decided to recall the ship, the MV Bahijah.
The Israeli buyers have submitted a request to have additional livestock feed brought on board. This way the ship can make the much longer journey around the African continent.
Animal activists and local politicians are angry about this plan. The Australian animal welfare organization RSPCA calls the plan “reckless, cold and irresponsible”. The organization says that profits are placed above the interests of the animals, writes Bloomberg.
“Fourteen thousand sheep are being considered for a 60-day journey in a sweltering, stinking hold,” said Josh Wilson, member of the Australian Parliament representing Fremantle, the city where the sheep were loaded. “I can’t reconcile this with animal welfare as Australians would like to see it.”
Request to remove animals from board submitted
The Australian Ministry of Agriculture has no indications that there are health risks for the animals on board, the ministry says Reuters.
The alternative is to take some animals off board. A request for this has also now been submitted to the Australian government. That process is time-consuming, because the country has strict quarantine rules. The ship remains at anchor until a decision is made. It is unclear how long that will last.
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Beeld: Getty Images
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2024-01-31 08:25:22
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