Do Peruvians Really Eat Rodents?

Peruvians really eat rodents—the guinea pig is a common source of protein in Peru, with approximately 65 million of the rodents eaten each year in the South American country. Rural areas of Peru near the Andes Mountains are typically the most common eaters of guinea pig. The rodents are raised on a diet that includes vegetable peels and alfalfa. Peruvians refer to cooked guinea pig as cuy and the taste of the meat is often compared to rabbit. It is traditionally prepared by baking or grilling the whole carcass over an open fire, and then eaten directly from the bone using two hands.

More about unusual animals that are eaten:

• In certain areas of the state of Kentucky, squirrel brains are consumed as a delicacy.
• Fried scorpions are a common snack food in China, with the taste of the fried arthropods being likened to popcorn and sold in bags or on sticks.
• Rodents make up a significant amount of the protein eaten in Ghana—approximately half of the local meat consumed in the African country is cane rat.