As a livestock carrier will be sailing from South Africa, local media investigated the nation’s live export trade with Kuwait, noting that there is the possibility for a difficult journey for the 65,000 sheep that are being prepared to sail.
Namely, the sheep could experience prolonged loading processes, inadequate ventilation, heat and overcrowded quarters, in the carrier which will be heading in the East London harbour later this month.
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The livestock will be transported for weeks on the high seas, while methane gas and ammonia gathering in the cargo hold, could make this deal between South Africa and the Middle East controversial, local media report.
In addition, the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) commented on the occasion, standing strongly against plans to ship the sheep from the Eastern Cape to the Middle East.
Specifically, the senior inspector Grace de Lange, manager of the NSPCA farm animal protection unit, said that the route the vessel will cross the Arabian Sea and enter the Strait of Hormuz. He explained that these regions are at high-risk for heat stress from May to October.
However, the Kuwaiti importer to whom the vessel belongs denied these allegations, pinpointing that it operated according to accepted international standards.
The controversy regarding livestock carriers was evident earlier this year in Australia, which announced the extension of the prohibition on live sheep exports to or from the Middle East to September 22, 2019.
RSPCA had already announced its support on the proposed new regulatory protections for live sheep exports to the Middle East during September and October.
According to evidence and based on Australian Department’s of Agriculture & Water Resources draft report on heat stress, the conditions in June, July and August are too hot for sheep exports.
