A shipment of 16,000 sheep and cattle is currently stuck on a ship off the coast of Australia due to the recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Houthi fighters in Yemen. This incident raises concerns for the welfare of the animals, especially in the extreme heat they are experiencing. The ship, MV Bahijah, had to abandon its original journey and return to Australia for the safety of the animals. However, the ship is still at sea while awaiting a decision on whether some animals can be offloaded.
This situation brings attention to the far-reaching consequences of the attacks on ships by the Houthi militia, who are supported by Iran. The fighters started attacking ships in response to Israel’s actions in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza. While they claim to only target ships linked to Israel, this particular vessel was bound for Israel when it set sail from Fremantle, Western Australia.
The incident also highlights the importance of the Red Sea as a critical shipping route, providing access to the Suez Canal, which is the quickest route for ships traveling between Asia and Europe. Ongoing insecurity in the region has forced international shipping firms to take long diversions around southern Africa, causing significant disruption to global supply chains.
In response to the attacks, the US, UK, and several other countries, including Australia, have launched strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen to protect commerce. However, these strikes have not yet resolved the situation for the animals stuck on the MV Bahijah.
The stranded animals face extremely high temperatures close to 40C (104F) on the ship, which raises concerns about their health and welfare. The Reuters news agency quoted farm and exporter groups stating that there are approximately 14,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle on board.
The Australian government has attempted to address the situation by sending two independent vets to visit the animals on board. According to the government, these vets found no significant health, welfare, or environmental concerns. However, this statement might not alleviate the worries of animal welfare activists and concerned citizens who have seen incidents, such as the shipwreck in New Zealand last April where thousands of cows drowned.
The current events shed light on the increasingly controversial practice of live animal exports. New Zealand has already banned the live export of animals following the shipwreck incident, and now the Australian government has pledged to outlaw the export of live sheep.
In conclusion, the stranding of 16,000 sheep and cattle on a ship off the coast of Australia due to Red Sea attacks by Houthi fighters in Yemen has raised concerns for the welfare of the animals and highlighted the far-reaching consequences of such attacks. The situation also emphasizes the significance of the Red Sea as a critical shipping route and the disruptions caused by insecurity in the region. This incident has sparked further debate on the controversial practice of live animal exports and may lead to stricter regulations or bans in the future.
