Jbeil’s “Carneo” Restaurant Under Fire for Cooking Porcupine Meat
Carneo, a popular meat lovers’ restaurant in Jbeil, is facing backlash after sharing a video showing its owner and chef preparing and cooking a porcupine.
The footage quickly went viral, racking up more than 18 million views and drawing criticism from animal rights activists. Among those who publicly condemned it was activist Ghina Nahfawi, who described the incident as a blatant violation of Lebanese wildlife protection laws.
Nahfawi identified the animal as an Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica), a protected wild species in Lebanon. Under Law 580/2004, all wild animals in Lebanon are protected unless specifically listed as huntable. Violations can result in fines, equipment confiscation, and legal penalties.
It remains unclear whether the porcupine was hunted locally or sourced elsewhere, though the circumstances warrant investigation by the relevant authorities.
