After almost a month at sea, hundreds of cattle were finally back on land following the return of the export ship that was carrying them. The long journey was cut short due to conflict in the Middle East, forcing the MV Bahijah to abandon its voyage and return to the port at Fremantle.
Upon the ship’s return, the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, at the exporter’s request, unloaded several hundred cattle on Friday night. These animals, a part of the 16,500 live cargo that departed for the Middle East from Fremantle on January 5, had been kept on the vessel since its return to Australian waters, raising concerns for their welfare.
The animals have been reported to be in good condition as Western Australia’s Chief Vet has confirmed their health. Despite the low risk of any threat to Australia’s animal health status, due to the animals not disembarking during their journey, strict biosecurity measures have been implemented as a precaution.
The fate of the animals remains undecided, and the federal government is considering the exporter’s application to re-export the remaining animals on the ship. If re-exported, the animals are expected to be at sea for another month as the MV Bahijah sails around Africa to access Jordan via the Suez Canal and avoid the Middle East conflict zone.
At the same time, animal rights groups have taken legal action in Israel in an attempt to prevent the ship from exporting its cargo into the country. This unusual situation has drawn the attention of officials from both the federal government and Western Australia, as they collaborate with industry stakeholders to address the complex biosecurity risks involved in the situation.