Animal rights activists have condemned French supermarkets amid claims that businesses are selling endangered zebra meat.

Many of the largest supermarket chains in France are selling exotic animal meat, including ostrich, zebra, kangaroo and bison.

Animal rights charity 30 Million D’amis claimed supermarkets Carrefour, Auchan, Intermarché, Houra and Cora have sold endangered zebra meat in store and online.

The brands identified by the charity included Damien de Jong, Maître Jacques or Saveurs Forestières, according to The Local.

The charity branded the sale of zebra meat ‘shocking’. Selling zebra and other exotic meat is legal, but 30 Million D’amis argued that selling the meat of endangered species is unethical.

Each species of zebra has its own conservation status. Not all species of zebra are classed as endangered, but many are.

The charity said in a statement: “At a time when the world’s biodiversity is collapsing, selling meat from a species that is threatened with extinction is perplexing.

“It sends a very bad signal to the consumers and gives the impression – which is completely false – that wild zebra populations are robust.”

Zebra meat sold in French supermarkets is provided by legal South African farms.

• Read: Orangutans face extinction within a decade if no action is taken

What do you think about the sale of zebra meat? Tell us in the comments below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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