Throughout the Peru, there is an annual tradition that goes back 15 centuries, all the way to the time of the Incas. Small town celebrate the guinea pig! Many people gather in the streets with their guinea pigs, dressing them up and participating in contests. There, is however, a small catch to all of the celebrations.
It may seem strange (or even cruel), but the guinea pig has been a food source for the people of the Andes mountains for centuries. It continues to be a major part of the diet in Peru and Bolivia, particularly in the Andes Mountains highlands. Guinea pig is also eaten in some areas of Ecuador (mainly in the Sierra) and Colombia.
Guinea pigs were originally bred in the area for food because they didn’t take up much space and they would reproduce quickly, so they could be raised in both rural and urban areas. Guinea pig meat is high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol and it has been described to taste very similar to rabbit or the dark meat of a chicken.
Via: Slightly Warped
So hug your little piggies tightly and give thanks that they are safe in sound. Because, if they lived in Peru, their lives might have a very different outcome!
