16,000 Livestock Remain in Limbo Aboard Ship Bound for Israel
Livestock Stranded at Australian Port
Around 16,000 livestock remained in limbo aboard an export ship at an Australian port on Friday, having set sail for Israel exactly four weeks ago only to abandon a passage through the Red Sea and be ordered home by the Australian government.
Biosecurity Rules and Dilemma
Biosecurity rules mean the animals – roughly 14,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle – cannot disembark without being quarantined. Officials are yet to decide if they should be let off or sent back to sea for a 33-day voyage to reach Israel by going around Africa.
Concerns and Controversy
Officials say the livestock are in good health but some politicians and animal rights activists claim their plight amounts to cruel mistreatment and have called for Canberra to bring forward a planned ban on live sheep exports.
Impact of Global Trade Disruptions
The situation is a consequence of strikes by Yemen’s Houthi militia on shipping in the Red Sea that has disrupted global trade. The ship, the MV Bahijah carrying a Marshall Islands flag, abandoned its route through the Red Sea due to the threat of attack.
Challenges Faced by Livestock
It arrived on Monday in Perth, where a heatwave is pushing temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Australia’s agriculture ministry said it is still considering an application by the exporter, Israeli firm Bassem Dabbah, to unload some animals and re-export the rest.
Industry Response and Concerns
Industry figures have called claims that the animals are suffering ignorant and asked why the government has taken so long to decide the ship’s fate. “It’s fair to say people are frustrated that decision has not happened more quickly,” said Mark Harvey-Sutton, head of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council.
Challenges in Livestock Export Industry
Australia’s live export industry shipped more than half a million sheep and half a million cattle overseas last year.
