It’s not just Australia. Of the 195 countries recognised by the UN 29 eat their national animals. That’s a little under 15% or one in seven. Here’s the list.

Bahamas – Blue Marlin

Bangladesh – Hilsa (a type of fish)

Bolivia – Alpaca

Costa Rica – White-tailed Deer

Denmark – Swan

East Timor – Crocodile

Eritrea – Camel

Finland – Brown Bear, Whooper Swan, European Perch (they eat all three of their national animals)

Japan – Green Pheasant

Kuwait – Camel

Macedonia – Ohrid Trout (My personal favourite fish name “I’d like some ‘orrid trout, please”)

Maldives – Yellow-fin Tuna

Monaco – European Rabbit

Norway – Elk

Pakistan – Mahasher (a type of fish)

Phillipines – Carabao (a type of ox), Bangus (a type of fish)

Saudia Arabia – Camel

Singapore – Peascock Bass

Spain – Bull

Swaziland – Thomson’s Gazelle

Sweden – Elk

Here’s a second list where I cannot confirm that the national animal is eaten but it seems an odds-on bet or where the eating of a particular national animal has been stopped because of the threat of extinction.

Cambodia – Kouprey (a type of ox now hunted to near extinction)

Honduras – White-tailed Deer

Ireland – Red Deer (recently protected, I understand)

Israel – Israeli Gazelle

Jordan – Oryx

Nambia – Oryx

Poland – Wisent (a type of bison)

Qatar – Oryx

When it comes to eating the animal emblems of sub-national regions such as states and provinces, the list gets very, very long.

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