Pangolin Soup, Served with Tiger Penis, Rhino Horn…
What’s this scaly cute mammal hanging here on the left? It’s a pangolin. I didn’t learn about these critters until I saw them in one of my kid’s favorite books: “Tails“. The next time they came to mind was yesterday when I found that some Chinese turn these guys into soup. Taste just like chicken? Who knows. One thing’s for sure, they’re certainly not as plentful.
It’s hard to be surprised. For thousands of years the Chinese have used/eaten just about anything in the name of herbal remedies. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. That is, unless you ask Tiger what they do to his bones. Or worse, his penis. Then there’s Rhino whose horn of fingernail-cartilage is driving it to extinction. Supposedly those practices are on the decline, which is great, but considering we’re still receiving news of this type, who really knows?
It’s a shame, really, that the 20th century hasn’t delivered on the promise of providing a solid science background and a healthy dose of skepticism to the next generation in an effort to help eradicate mysticism and unsubstantiated health claims. It’s not just the minds of tomorrow that are suffering – don’t be surprised if your kids’ only exposure to these creatures is some backwater blog.