 "How bad is the stench of 19,000 cattle cramped in a ship? Cape Town says 'unimaginable'")
People in Cape Town were disgusted by the “unimaginable” stench, forcing authorities in the South African city to launch an investigation to trace the source of the smell. Sewage facilities were checked, environmental health team was activated, but it was revealed that the stink was from a ship docked in the harbour carrying 19,000 live cattle from Brazil to Iraq.
Investigators had confirmed the source of the “sewage smell blanketing parts of the city” was the cattle ship, confirmed Zahid Badroodien, an official in the mayor’s office in charge of water and sanitation, said in a post on social media.
Why ship with cattle left Cape Town stinking?
As per the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the smell was due to the animals who were kept onboard for two-and-a-half weeks in “awful condition”, with a buildup of faeces and ammonia.
“This smell is indicative of the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent two-and-a-half weeks onboard, with a buildup of faeces and ammonia,” the SPCA said, adding: “The stench onboard is unimaginable, yet the animals face this every single day.”
The SPCA also said it strongly opposed the export of live animals by sea. A veterinary consultant has also been sent aboard the ship to assess the animals’ welfare.
Condemning the incident, other animal welfare groups said the “unimaginable” stench indicated the conditions the animals faced on the vessel.
South Africa’s Democratic Alliance political party, which governs Cape Town, also condemned the transport of live cattle by sea.
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View All“Live export, as evidenced by this situation, exposes animals to perilous conditions such as dangerous levels of ammonia, rough seas, extreme heat stress, injuries, dirty environments, exhaustion, and even death,” the party said in a statement.
Where is the ship docked?
As per the website of Marine Traffic, the ship responsible for leaving Cape Town stinky is 190-metre long (623ft) Al Kuwait, a Kuwaiti-flagged livestock vessel.
According to SPCA, it was docked in Cape Town to load feed for the cattle and was due to depart soon.
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