There was a really bad incident in Greenland in 2013[1]. They were making kiviak, auk fermented in the carcass of a seal. I heard it was the use of eider birds instead of auk that prevented proper fermentation, but this article included that a plastic bag was used in the preparation of this batch of kiviak presumably with the auk birds in the plastic bag inside of the seal carcass. Perfect low oxygen conditions for C. Botulinum to thrive.
> Simply put, about 400 dead birds (usually auk) are stuffed into a body of a dead seal and left under a rock to ferment for many months. Prepared this way, the seal’s fat tenderises and preserves it, which means that you can eat the entire bird raw, save the feathers. The innards turn into a liquid, and a popular way to consume it is by biting the head off and sucking out the juices inside.
Holy crap. Dying of paralysis sounds like a mercy.
[1] https://thefourthcontinent.com/2013/08/07/greenland-terducke...