The popularity of the French delicacy of frogs legs, known as cuisses de grenouille in the French tongue, is threatening the existence of species of the amphibian, more than 500 environmental campaigners have warned the country’s President Emmanuel Macron.
In an open letter by French nonprofits Robin des Bois and Vétérinaires pour la Biodiversité (Veterinarians for Biodiversity), and German charity Pro Wildlife, the 557 signatories said 4,070 tons of frozen frogs legs are imported into the European Union every year – harvested from between 80 million and 200 million frogs.
A joint study by Robin des Bois and Pro Wildlife found that France alone consumes more than 3,000 tons of frozen frogs legs a year, mainly from wild populations in Indonesia, Turkey and Albania, where numbers are in significant decline.
Vietnam is also a large exporter of frogs legs, but these are typically farmed rather than wild.
The 557 signatories to the letter, who work in the fields of research, nature conservation and veterinary medicine, called on France should shoulder the responsibility of protecting frog species.
They stated recent studies have found that common species are in decline due to ‘intense commercial harvests and exports for many years’.
The data suggests that the fanged river frog (Limnonectes macrodon) has apparently disappeared from commercial imports to France.
‘The EU still tolerates the collection of millions of animals in other countries – even if this threatens the frog populations there. This is not at all in line with the EU’s recent biodiversity strategy’
Sandra Altherr, Head of Science at Pro Wildlife
And common species such as the crab-eating frog (Fejervarya cancrivora) and the rice-field frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) are already in decline due to intense commercial harvests and exports for frogs legs over many years.
Foreign Frogs Unprotected
Though frog populations native to the EU are protected against commercial exploitation under the Habitats Directive, the letter says, this protection does not extend to species imported into the region.
‘It’s absurd, the natural frog populations here in Europe are protected under EU law,’ Sandra Altherr, head of science at Pro Wildlife.
‘But the EU still tolerates the collection of millions of animals in other countries – even if this threatens the frog populations there. This is not at all in line with the EU’s recent biodiversity strategy.’
Alain Moussu, president of Veterinarians for Biodiversity, explained why vets joined the call.
One of the imbalances – caused by the collapse of amphibian populations – is an increase in mosquito populations
‘(We) are both sensitive to the cruelty that prevails in this market and concerned about the ecological imbalances caused by the collapse of amphibian populations.’
One of these imbalances, Moussu suggested, is an increase in mosquito populations, which could have a knock-on effect on human health.
The signatories called on France to develop proposals to protect declining frog species, and to ensure that the monitoring, regulation and sustainability of the trade in frogs’ legs is governed by international trade rules.
The letter concluded ‘“We see France as having a particular responsibility to take the lead on this issue. Please arrange your Environmental Ministry to take the necessary steps and become the champion of amphibian conservation at the next CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) meeting.’
