Roadkill Enthusiast Plans To Eat Dolphin For Christmas Dinner

Arthur Boyt, a retired biologist from Camelford, Cornwall, has unique culinary tastes. A roadkill enthusiast, Boyt has been eating roadkill since of the age of 13, dining on rabbits, weasels, hedgehogs, and squirrels, to name a few. Boyt says, "The great thing about roadkill is that you are getting meat without the guilt of killing an animal or having one killed on your behalf. It's a situation much more in keeping with the spirit of Christmas."

Speaking of holiday festivities, Boyt has a particularly special protein that he plans to have at the center of his Christmas dinner: dolphin. Boyt intends to casserole a stranded dolphin he found washed up, dead, on a beach near his home, according to The Telegraph.

Unfortunately for Boyt, marine conservation officials say he might be in danger of prosecution for eating a protected animal, as well as for breaching an ancient law deeming dolphins 'Fish Royal' and therefore possessions of the monarch. Abby Crossby, a spokesperson for Marine Stranded Network Trust, said, "To remove any stranded animal requires a licence to be issued by the Marine Management Organisation. In addition to dolphins, these are protected species and there are laws in place to prevent the public from interfering with them – whether they are dead or alive."

Legal issues aside, eating dolphin meat has been deemed "very unwise" by Danny Groves, spokesman for Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Groves says, "They can carry diseases which are transferable to humans, and are usually taken away by local authorities to be buried in landfill. Whales and dolphins can also be heavily contaminated. Pilot whales, for example often carry high levels of mercury."