Lions and tigers or bears meat in tacos?

[Still Waters]

With chefs all over the country pushing the limits, sore and more restaurants across the country are adding exotic dishes to their menus.

But one place in Florida is pushing things to a whole new level with their wild tacos.

Taco Fusion began offering 'safari' tacos filled with fresh lion meat.

http://www.dailymail...meat-tacos.html

[Space Commander Travis]

This is allowed?! I thought it was going to be another story like the tesco horsemeat affair, only slightly more exotic, but this is legal?!

[redhen]

This is allowed?! I thought it was going to be another story like the tesco horsemeat affair, only slightly more exotic, but this is legal?!

Yes, lion meat is legal to sell and eat in the U.S.A., the reason being that lions are threatened not endangered.

From the restaurants website;

"Who decides which animals are worthy? If the argument is that a Lion is “Majestic” so you shouldn’t breed them for meat consumption- then what is the lesson here? That only the majestic pretty girls get treated well and the ugly ones go to the slaughter pen? How pompous and idiotic does that sound?"

The owner has a valid point. The decision which animals to eat is completely arbitrary.

[Space Commander Travis]

Surely the point is that there are millions and millions of cattle and pigs and sheep, and I don't suppose even this macho buffoon is proposing breeding Lions purely for meat, so where does he have to get them from? Surely he has to get the from the wild. I suppose it makes his macho rifle-toting Big Game Hunter pals feel good & manly, though, not to mention the customers (see that guy in the camo queuing up to buy some?), so I suppose that's the main thing.

[Ashotep]

Think they are being raised for their meat. In Illinois they are getting USDA certified meat. Since they are a threatened species don't think we should be eating them.

Though wild lions aren't killed for food, there's concern that weak or poorly regulated laws regarding the ownership, breeding, and trade of captive big cats in the U.S.—in particular tigers—could fuel the black market for big-cat parts, Will Gartshore, senior program officer for U.S. Government Relations at WWF, said in an email.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130510-lion-meat-taco-florida-animal-food-science/