So Illinois is finally taking the big leap and making the decision that maybe, just maybe, lion meat shouldn’t be sold for consumption. That’s right, Illinois officials have decided its high time to stop selling their citizens lion burgers, for the good of the lions of course.

Rep. Luis Arroyo’s Lion Meat Act will make it “unlawful for any person to slaughter a lion or for any person to possess, breed, import or export from this State, buy, or sell lions for the purpose of slaughter.”

American’s are highly fascinated with keeping exotic animals, and there are even more tigers in the U.S. as private pets than there are in the wild. But unfortunately not all of these big cats(and other predators, like bears) are kept just for furry companions, but also being raised for meat and parts.

Parts? What ever do you mean by parts? I mean bones, and gallbladders and skins. Things used not only as decoration, but for Asian medicine. Now Americans are taking it a step further. U.S. company Exotic Meats and More sells things like iguana over the internet. Great for making stews!

People in Africa don’t even eat lions! Eating predators can be risky, because they themselves eat so many different animals. Over time predators build up a nice little storehouse of diseases and bacteria. Yum.

And here all I can think of is Shel Silverstein’s Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back.

For more information visit National Geographic.