What the frog! This is why frogs are going extinct (and it sounds awful)
When you walk through the park or forest in spring, you see frogs everywhere. Yet there are plenty of frog species that may soon no longer be hopping around. How come? Because of us! We eat too many frog legs.
The European Union is by far the largest importer of frog legs in the world. Between 2010 and 2019 alone, we imported more than 40 million kilos of frog legs in total. That amounts to the legs of around two billion little frogs. Surprisingly enough, Belgium is the largest importer of this ‘delicacy’, followed by France and in third place… the Netherlands! I find it astonishing that we are the third-largest importer of this French delicacy; I never see it on any menu anywhere.
Grisly story
I have never eaten frog legs myself. The reason? The grisly story of how frogs are slaughtered. After they are caught, they are often thrown together into large sacks, only to be torn or cut into pieces alive (hours later). Their legs are skinned, and the rest of the frog is thrown away, left to die a slow death without its limbs. Horrific!
Frogs threatened with extinction
Most frog legs currently come from Indonesia, Turkey and Albania. Research published by Nature Conservation shows that action needs to be taken if we want to prevent the frog species there from going extinct. At present, the hunting and trade of frog legs are not yet regulated, and local people are hunting the little hoppers on a massive scale. As a result, frogs in those regions are now threatened with extinction.
Major impact on the ecosystem
In the 1970s and 1980s, India and Bangladesh were still the largest exporters of frog legs. Frog populations declined rapidly there as well. For that reason, local authorities decided to stop exporting frogs. The disappearance of these little creatures has a major impact on the ecosystem—frogs are insect hunters.
The solution
To ensure that people can still eat frog legs, the trade needs to be better regulated. Would you prefer a more animal-friendly alternative? These days, vegan frog legs are also available.
Also read:
- Frog bread is the new internet hit
- Know before you go: 12 French dishes you may want to avoid
- WTF: these 10 creepy food pics will give you chills
Source: Euronews.com
