Starving Parisians butchered zoo animals from the Jardin des Plantes during the siege of Paris in 1870. Prussian forces encirlcled Paris and blockaded it. The citizens were forced to turn to unusual meat sources. They began eating horses to satiate hunger pains. An estimated 65,000 horses were eaten during the siege. The very poor ate rats. Although a famous Jockey club did apparently make a nice rat salami.
The two zoo elephants were bought by Mr. Deboos of the Boucherie Anglais in the Boulevard Haussman for 27,000 francs. The trunks were sold as a delicacy for 40 or 45 francs a pound. Elephant was not apparently tasty. Thomas Bowele, who was in Paris during the siege, wrote that he had eaten camel, antelope, dog, donkey, mule, and elephant and of those he liked elephant the least.
Menus b egan to offer exotic dishes such as Cuissot de Loup avec Sauce Chevreuil (Haunch of Wolf with a Deer Sauce), Terrine d'Antilope aux truffes (Terrine of Antelope with truffles ), Civet de Kangourou (Kangaroo Stew) and Chameau rôti à l'anglaise (Camel roasted à l'anglaise)
I am feeling faint while writing this article. I think I’m going to become a vegetarian now!