See also Animal Cruelty; POI Types (Eating)
Bush meat is a generic term that applies to food derived from any species of wildlife. We take care not to promote any bush meat that is from endangered, threatened or protected species, nor any wild meat products that are associated with poaching (illegal hunting), hunting in unauthorised areas, illegal hunting methods (wire snares/traps etc) or unsustainable uses, whether commercial or noncommercial. Be warned that game meat may also fall foul of these rules.
Foie gras is banned in some countries and an important part of the cuisine in others. We make mention of it across our products where appropriate.
Avoid any emotive or positive language (gorge on, feast on, enjoy, delicious, etc) in all instances.
Include facts of how it is produced (ie typically by force-feeding of ducks or geese) when covering relevant destinations (eg France) so readers have the facts to make up their own minds.
Eating live animals is generally accepted as cruel. However, we need to be aware that it is an accepted practice in eg Japan, Korea and China. We should guard against polemical condemnation and avoid emotive language, but should warn readers what they might encounter. This is a visceral issue about which we can expect individuals to have strong opinions of their own.
We do not condone eating shark fin dishes. We will endeavour to alert travellers if a Lonely Planet–recommended POI serves shark fin, so that travellers can make informed decisions.
The following text should be included with any review or text that mentions shark fin: ‘Eating shark fin is not recommended, as preparing the dish involves cutting the fin off the shark and then throwing the shark back into the water for it to die a painful and lingering death.’
We acknowledge the vast majority of people and nations in the world condemn whaling and the consumption of whale meat. We recognise some people in both Japan and Norway are either reliant on the industry for a livelihood or see nothing wrong with eating whale meat.
We do not endorse or promote the practice of eating whale meat. We make mention of it across our products only where appropriate, such as when it is a regular menu item in a destination.
Avoid emotive or positive language (gorge on, feast on, enjoy, delicious etc) in all instances.
Include information in relevant destination content (eg Norway and Japan) so as to present the issues in a balanced way that allows readers to make up their own minds. Again, avoid emotive language (disgusting, abhorrent etc).
It is OK to highlight that an establishment offers whale meat on the menu – this allows readers to make an informed choice as to whether they would like to eat there – but we do not include venues that specialise in whale meat or serve it exclusively.