If you thought your neighbor was weird, wait till you see these mammals people actually eat:
1. Donkey
(Photo via flickr.com)
Donkeys are animals known to put in more work than horses, and perhaps, if they had the stamina and speed, they could be outdoing their cousins in virtually anything.
(Photo via flickr.com)
However, down in Italy, donkeys are reared for everything but work. They are a great delicacy there, and the residents go as far as to say that donkey meat is very delicious. :o
2. Squirrel
(Photo via flickr.com)
They may be a nuisance to most people, but the residents of Kentucky have found a way to co-habit with these little creatures by making a stew out of them.
(Photo of squirrel soup via flickr.com)
In Kentucky, squirrels are actually the sight to behold, and their brains are commonly featured on the dinner tables of most homes. Next time a squirrel is stealing your food, just eat it!
3. Rat
(Photo via flickr.com)
Aside from being your common pest and your experimental lab animal, rats also double up as a great source of protein in some areas.
(Photo of cooked rat via flickr.com)
In areas where rats are eaten like Togo, rats are trapped for their nutritional value and not for how annoying they are… The picture above of grilled rat actually looks quite succulent lol.
4. Fruit Bat
(Photo via flickr.com)
How would you like some bat stew? Literally!
(Photo of bat stew via flickr.com)
In Micronesia, fruit bats are featured on menus as part of a soup that the locals greatly revere. While it might be unsightly for most people, the Micronesians seem to love their bat soup!
5. Cat
(Photo via flickr.com)
While you may be petting your pet cat right now, these felines could be playing Russian roulette with a knife, getting ready to be served as dinner. While they are considered cute and easy-to-take-care-of pets in most parts of the world, in other parts, they are only considered food.
6. Dog
(Photo via flickr.com)
Cats and dogs are the yin and yang of the pet world. So, perhaps it’s no surprise to see the canine featured on the menu right under the cat.
(Photo of dog meat via flickr.com)
You may want to leave your cats and dogs at home next time you travel to countries like China, or else they’ll be turned into evening stew.
7. Elephant
(Photo via flickr.com)
It’s not hard to see why people would want to eat an elephant, especially since one of these gigantic animals is able to feed a whole village in Africa or Thailand. The only problem is how to put it down… Actually, elephants taste like elk and moose, so the flavor would be quite popular in the US.
8. Hippopotamus
(Photo via flickr.com)
^That is one happy, happy hippo…
(Photo of buffalo and hippo meat via flickr.com)
^Not so happy anymore, eh?
The hippo may have skin as thick as rubber and tusks that are 70 centimeters long, but in Africa, it doubles up as a great delicacy, which villagers usually go in the dark of night to hunt.
9. Lion
(Photo via flickr.com)
Being the king of the jungle doesn’t save the lion from rumbling tummies. In certain occasions, lions are hunted and turned into delicious steaks. However, you must be willing to shed some sweat for this.
10. Gorilla
(Photo via flickr.com)
Though a highly endangered species, gorillas are still hunted for their meat by tribes in the mountains of Congo. It is hard to believe that something with such a stern face can taste good, but given that these hunters in Congo risk their lives for gorilla meat, it must taste pretty good.
