Zambia Unveils Star-Rating System For Anthrax Carcasses, Officials Urge Public To 'Check Reviews First'
A new national board will grade dead wildlife on freshness, aroma and overall risk before anyone considers a bite.
In response to an anthrax outbreak that has already sickened a dozen people who ate infected wildlife meat, the newly formed National Carcass Advisory Board announced it will begin issuing star ratings for dead animals found in the bush, rather than telling people to simply stay away from them.
Under the new system, a carcass discovered with visible swelling or flies will receive one star and a small paper tag reading "proceed with regret," while a carcass that merely looks tired will earn a provisional three stars pending a follow-up inspection. Board officials say a five-star carcass has not yet been observed but remains "aspirational."
"We considered just saying don't eat the dead animals, but that felt like it was closing a door on nuance," said a spokesperson for the board, who then excused themselves to laminate a stack of carcass report cards. "People deserve information, and also a rating system they can screenshot."
Field inspectors will reportedly travel between carcass sites with a clipboard and a small bell, ringing once for caution and twice for what the board is internally calling "a hard pass." A mobile app is said to be in development so villagers can leave written reviews of individual carcasses for future foragers.
As of press time, the board's top-rated entry remains an antelope carcass that received four stars largely for "presentation," a distinction officials insist should not be read as a recommendation.