You Could Be Eating Squirrel Meat Soon
By: Anthony Adragna
Published: April 7, 2011

Especially if you live in the United Kingdom. One restaurant in Edinburgh has begun offering squirrel meat on its menu and the item has sold out every day.
Spoon Cafe Bistro owner Richard Alexander calls squirrel the "ultimate ethical food" and tells people that the meat is free-range, local and low fat. Beyond taste, there's more practical reason to eat it in Scotland. Gray squirrels are overwhelming the native red squirrels, so authorities have ordered people to kill them. Serving the meat in restaurants ensures the squirrel hunts can actually benefit the community.
Apparently, efforts to control the gray squirrel populations are paying off and red squirrel numbers continue to improve. The invasive squirrel species arrived in the UK from the United States about a century ago. There are already lots of squirrel meat advocates. Take, for instance, this female chef. She's a bit weird, but has an interesting squirrel recipe.


A good example for comparison involves fish. In recent years, the invasive Lionfish has taken over Caribbean waters and threatens many of the native species there. A website called Death to Lionfish urges people to eat the invasive species as a way to save the ecosystem. There's even a weird PSA to raise awareness:


The point is that we are willing to adjust our diets to fight off invasive aquatic species. Should we do the same when land creatures come into the mix? Would you eat squirrel meat to help save one of your country's animal treasures? With squirrel meat enthusiasts in the United States already, can you ever see this protein taking off?
Photo by Martin Pettitt