POLL | Would you eat lion meat?

Reports of residents of Okhukho in northern KwaZulu-Natal eating the remains of lions have sparked a fierce debate.

IOL journalist Sihle Mavuso shared a video on social media of Okhukho community members allegedly eating the remains of a stray lion.

The big cat was apparently killed by Ezemvelo game rangers. The community is near the western borders of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi reserve.

TimesLIVE reported the pride of lions was terrorising local communities and had eaten at least six cows.

This led to locals cutting down a fence and staging a sit-in until it was confirmed the lions had been killed. Six were put down.

There has been speculation over why the residents would eat the remains of a lion, with some saying it was part of a ritual or ceremony and others saying they were just feasting on available meat.

It also sparked a conversation on how safe it is to eat the king of the jungle.

One meat website, Price of Meat, said with proper preparation and cooking, lion meat is as safe as any other bushmeat or meat from wild game.

“People in regions where lions live have eaten lion meat for as long as lions and humans have coexisted as hunters,” it added.

According to The Guardian lion meat is sometimes on the menu at American restaurants in burgers and tacos, where it has raised eyebrows. The bigger concern was where the lions came from and whether they were bred for consumption.

And it is not just the meat that is sought after.

The BBC reported the predators’ bones are used for fake tiger-bone wine, a health drink believed by some to have medicinal values.