A group of more than 500 activists, veterinarians and scientists sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron on an unusual topic: the consumption of frog legs in the country. They claim that excessive consumption by the French is driving some animal species to extinction.
Frog meat is consumed in many countries besides France, and is one of the traditional parts of local cuisine. According to the information contained in the letter, the large consumption of frog legs in the country has affected the numbers of animals in Indonesia, Turkey and Albania, in addition to other countries that export this type of frog.
Species threatened by the frog trade include the crab frog and the rice field frog, which were once found across much of the Asian continent. It is estimated that 4,000 tons – the equivalent of between 80 and 200 million frogs – are sent to the European Union each year.
According to the letter signed by people working in the field of research and nature conservation, France must bear responsibility for this issue, as it is the country that consumes the largest number of frog legs in the European Union. They argue that the decline of species leads to an increase in insect pests, including vectors of diseases that infect humans.
The Elysee Palace has not yet commented on the case.
