Exposed: Animal Cruelty at Sea

On May 23rd, the "Walrus" set sail with a dedicated team from Sea Shepherd France and the Animal Welfare Foundation on board. This marked a new collaboration with a shared goal: to expose the animal suffering that usually remains hidden far from Europe's shores and the eyes of society on the high seas of the Mediterranean.

Every day, thousands of European animals are exported by ship to the Middle East or North Africa. The time on board is designated as a "rest period." The EU Commission is currently revising the animal transport regulations, but it appears that there will be few changes regarding ship transport. Sea transport is still set to be classified as rest time, despite the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), commissioned by the EU Commission, stressing that sea transport impacts the welfare of cows, bulls, calves, sheep, and goats more severely than road transport, where travel time is defined as transport time, not rest time.

Between May and June, the crew of the "Walrus" managed to film five ships carrying animals from the EU in the Mediterranean. These ships began their journeys in Romania, Slovenia, and Spain, with destinations in Algeria and Morocco. Drone footage of the "Anakin" and "Julia AK" shows that the animals on these ships are far from resting. Despite moderate weather conditions, the ships rock significantly, which greatly affects the animals. The cattle on the "Anakin" are visibly stressed, mounting each other and trying to maintain their balance. The sheep on the "Julia AK" fare no better, with some having escaped their pens and running panicked through the corridors.

During our investigation, we also encountered five ships that start their journeys in South America and cross the Mediterranean to export cattle to Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey. Many of these ships are also authorised for transporting European animals. The conditions on the "Ghena" are particularly shocking: the animals appear very weak and sick, their bodies covered in a layer of faeces. One leg is trapped between the metal bars of the railing. The position of the body suggests that the cow is no longer alive. We can only imagine how the animals fare inside the ship holds.

The collected evidence is intended to draw the attention of the EU Commission and other political decision-makers within and outside the EU to these abuses. It highlights why the current draft of the new transport regulation does not adequately protect the animals and why stricter laws are necessary. Together with Sea Shepherd France, we are calling for an end to animal exports by ship, to protect both the animals on board and the seas. These transports also pose a significant environmental problem. The mixture of bedding and manure from millions of animals is cheaply discharged into the sea.