Lions, tacos, burritos, oh my...
The owner of an Arizona restaurant won't be putting African lion tacos on the menu after claiming to receive numerous complaints and threats. Owner Bryan Mazon recently announced his plan to serve the exotic tacos for around $9 each starting Feb. 16.
Boca Tacos and Tequila in Tucson has previously offered tacos filled with python, alligator, elk, kangaroo, rattlesnake, turtle, duck, frog legs and Rocky Mountain "oysters."
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According to this article in the Arizona Daily Star, Mazon said he was serving the tacos to "get my name out."
Mission accomplished, I guess.
And how is lion meat even legal to sell?
Well, according to the Food and Drug Administration, lion and any other game animal can be sold as long as the species isn't endangered. And African lions, while listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, are not endangered.
So where do you go after lion tacos? Bugs.
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According to this article, insects may be our most sustainable food source. Oyamel, a Mexican restaurant in Washington, D.C., has grasshopper tacos on its menu. And while they may sound unappetizing, having tried it myself, here's my official review: crunchy and very tasty, with none of the guilt from eating an apex predator.
Photo: Julie Toy, Getty Images (that's a lion-free taco)
Tags: Animals, Cats, Current Events, Food, Food and Culture
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