Posted by 
Efforts have begun to unload more than 16,000 cattle and sheep that have been stranded at sea for more than a month.
The federal government department responsible for the animals on Thursday night said the exporter was “working to offload all livestock” from the MV Bahijah, amid a weeks-long saga involving multiple failed attempts to get to the Middle East.
“The department is engaging actively with the exporter, as well as relevant Western Australia government agencies, in relation to the arrangements that will be needed to support this,” the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said in a statement.
“Any offloading of livestock will be undertaken under strict biosecurity protocols and with regard to animal welfare.
“The department will continue to support the exporter as they consider options for the livestock once they have been unloaded.”
The department regulator on Monday blocked a bid by Israel-based Bassem Dabbah to send the animals to Israel via a lengthy journey around Africa.
The Marshall Islands-flagged carrier set sail for the Middle East from Western Australia on January 5 but turned back due to the ongoing Yemen Houthi rebels attacks in the Red Sea.
It arrived back in Australian waters late last month but was essentially stranded as the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry sought to balance Australia’s biosecurity and the animals’ wellbeing.
On Monday, the department regulator rejected an application re-export the animals on a much longer journey around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, citing animal welfare and other concerns.
A few hundred healthy animals have been unloaded and quarantined on the mainland and a “low number” have died aboard but there are “no significant health or welfare concerns”, the department says.
There have been calls from the government for the local industry to help slaughter them locally as animal welfare activists begged for a reprieve.
The Australian Alliance for animals called on Australia and New Zealand to “immediately apply a voluntary suspension of all live animal exports to or through the Red Sea”.
“We have grave concerns for the welfare of animals subjected to live export, and especially those travelling to and through the Red Sea region,” it said on Wednesday, in an open letter signed by representatives from a dozen animal welfare and activist group.
“Reports of escalating violence in the region and targeted attacks on vessels transiting through the area highlight the significant risk to all vessels, including live export ships, their crew and live animal cargo.
“The current situation involving the MV Bahijah is a concerning example of this, having departed for Israel and doubling-back to Australia due to the risk of attack – a futile 30+ day voyage which could have been avoided. Under no circumstances should these animals, who have already endured so much, be forced to face another export journey.”
The Red Sea crisis has been ongoing for weeks as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attack commercial vessels in what they say is retaliation against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza.
