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Grey squirrelThese days we think nothing of ostrich steaks and kangaroo burgers, but take a trip to Budgens in Crouch End, London and you may find yourself doing a double take.

The latest addition to the supermarket's aisles is high-protein, low-fat squirrel meat and the store has reported "huge interest" in this unusual product.

Animal welfare campaigners though, are none too happy.

Juliet Gellatley, zoologist and founder of animal welfare group Viva, was horrified by the news.

She told the Daily Mail: "Culls of thousands of grey squirrels by so-called conservation groups to boost populations of red squirrels are irrational, inhumane and destined to fail, so it is very sad that Budgens are allowing profit to be made from wildlife massacre.

"If this store is attempting to stand out from the crowd by selling squirrel, the only message they are giving out is that they are happy to have the blood of a beautiful wild animal on their hands for the sake of a few quid."

The group claims that many of the animals are clubbed to death or suffer a long, slow demise from warfarin poisoning (though the poisoned squirrels cannot be eaten, for obvious reasons).

But squirrel meat was a regular on British dinner tables in days gone by, with soups, pies and casseroles all part of the national diet.

Somerset butcher Henry Atwell is happy to stock the meat.

"To start with, customers try it through novelty, but they come back and buy more of them," he explained. "Squirrel tastes similar to a rabbit. Some people say they taste a bit nutty but I don't know if it's in the mind."

It's unlikely to hit your local supermarket shelves any time soon though.

The London store that is currently selling squirrel is an independent and therefore has "both the right and ability to secure products that Budgens do not offer for sale," said a spokesman for operator Musgrave.

And since the branch admitted that most customers were looking rather than buying, we don't expect squirrel soup to catch on in the near future.

What do you think? Would you be happy to try squirrel meat or do you agree with the animal welfare campaigners? Leave your comments below...

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