Germany: Netto offers endangered wildlife for sale
The sale of zebra meat at the German discount retailer Netto has sparked a debate about the sale of exotic wild game. The species conservation organisation Pro Wildlife is warning retailers and consumers about such offerings. «The meat almost always comes from animals taken from the wild, and most wildlife populations are already in decline due to poaching and habitat loss. The trend towards exotic
The sale of zebra meat at the German discount retailer Netto has sparked a debate about the sale of exotic wild game. The species conservation organisation Pro Wildlife is warning retailers and consumers about such offerings. «The meat almost always comes from animals taken from the wild, and most wildlife populations are already in decline due to poaching and habitat loss,» says Daniela Freyer of Pro Wildlife.
Zebra meat at Netto
The zebra meat sold at discount retailers likely comes from plains zebras. Populations declined by 24 percent between 2002 and 2016, and the species is considered potentially vulnerable. The primary threat is recreational hunting, particularly for the trade in hides, but also for meat.
«Driving the commercial international trade in luxury products derived from wildlife whose populations are already in severe decline is irresponsible and counterproductive for species conservation,» says Freyer. The packaging states: «Watch out for possible residues of bullet fragments.»
EU leading in kangaroo meat imports
The sale of exotic wild game has been booming for years. At least 1.5 million kangaroos are shot in Australia every year. Germany is the world’s third largest importer. Hundreds of thousands of wild animals die a slow, agonising death so that they can be sold as a delicacy in Europe. More on animal rights and on biodiversity.
