David Neale , Animal Welfare Director of the Foundation based in Hong Kong said that the group has been alerted “to the culinary delicacy of fruit-bat soup eaten in Palau.”
Neale said in a letter to President Toribiong that the preparation of the dish involves restraining bats by pinning them by the wings to prevent escape before immersing live fruit bats into the boiling water to be cooked and served with coconut milk.The foundation said that it is wrong to use animals for food production “using methods of capture, production and transport or slaughter that compromise the welfare of the animals, or that deplete or threaten wild populations.”He said the practice that Palau conducts against the fruit bats threatens the very survival of this species.“The dish appears to have increased in popularity since it was mentioned on a U.S. reality TV show and we have received a number of reports from tourists visiting Palau suggesting that it is being offered in tourist’s restaurants. We are informing tourists visiting Palau of the cruelty involved with this dish and asking tourists not to eat fruit-bat soup,” Neale said.He said that with the president taking the steps to ban the consumption it will show commitment to the conservation and welfare of animals by Palau.
