Taboo Foods

Experiencing the local culture, whether in the U.S. or abroad, need not include eating local wildlife or farm animals raised under inhumane conditions. Many species of threatened and endangered wildlife are further pushed towards extinction by human consumption of so-called “delicacies” in developing countries. Worse still, methods for catching and killing wildlife are often cruel, inhumane, and life threatening for game wardens who try to protect these animals from poachers. For example, the illegal bushmeat trade in Africa devastates wildlife populations and harms indigenous communities who rely on the animals for their livelihood.

Wildlife also provides valuable ecotourism livelihood for the local people and this revenue source is threatened when wild animals become popular as exotic delicacies. Most countries where this type of food is offered don’t have any laws to regulate the trade in wild animals for food or don’t have the resources to enforce laws that do exist.

Examples of foods to avoid include:

Bushmeat from monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, wild deer and antelope
Meat from alligators, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, frogs, wild birds, bears, dogs, cats, wild pigs
Aquatic life such as whales, starfish, queen conch, turtles, sea cucumbers, shark fins
Reptile (turtle) eggs, fish eggs (caviar), birds’ nests and eggs

Wherever you travel take care not to consume foods made from conventionally farmed animals who have been subjected to abnormally cruel treatment, such as milk-fed veal from calves raised in crates, or foie gras from force-fed geese or ducks.

In the U.S. and Europe look for product labels or menu descriptions indicating that the animals were raised in a free-range or pasture environment. The USDA Organic label in the U.S. also provides some assurance of animal welfare. Unfortunately most other countries don’t yet offer animal welfare food labeling. (For more information about U.S. food labels that impact animals, see www.EatHumane.org)

Don’t let culture be a justification for cruelty and take your humane values with you when you travel.