An Arizona restaurant that put lion burgers on its menu as a "tribute" to the World Cup being played in South Africa received bomb threats and about 250 e-mails of protest from animal rights activists.

"We thought that since the World Cup was in Africa ... that the lion burger might be interesting for some of our more adventurous customers," said Cameron Selogie, the owner of Il Vinaio restaurant in downtown Mesa.

The restaurant defended serving the king of the jungle between buns -- for $21 with chips and corn on the cob -- by pointing out the lion was raised at a U.S. Department of Agriculture regulated free-range farm in Illinois.