Lion Burgers in Arizona: Creative or Cruel?

In what can only be called an ill-conceived publicity stunt, Il Vinaio restaurant in Mesa, Arizona added a rather strange new item to the menu to celebrate the World Cup: a burger made with African lion meat. The unusual meat was bought by restaurant owner Cameron Selogie from a USDA-regulated free-range lion farm located in Illinois. Selogie has said he is preparing for pickets from animal activists, and that he has already received over 150 emails protesting the new burger as well as a bomb threat. Selogie initially received positive feedback from customers who tried the meal, prompting him to order five more pounds.

Lions are listed as a protected species, but are not endangered.

Read the full story from The Arizona Republic here.

Photo: Chris Johns for National Geographic