French Appetite for Frogs’ Legs Threatens Frog Species, Experts Warn Macron

The popularity of the famous French delicacy of *cuisses de grenouille*, or frogs’ legs, is threatening the existence of certain frog species, a group of more than 500 environmental campaigners has warned French President Emmanuel Macron.

In an open letter written to Macron earlier this month, organized 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 – equivalent to 80 million-200 million frogs, depending on the size of the species.

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.

The vast majority of these frogs come from wild populations in Indonesia, Turkey, and Albania, the letter said, where some frog species are in significant decline. Vietnam is also a large exporter of frogs’ legs, but these frogs are typically farmed rather than wild, according to a media statement accompanying the letter.