An acquired taste, the demand for crocodile penis is driving people in Egypt to illegally poach and traffic Nile crocodiles – according to National Geographic.
The second largest reptile extant in the world, the Nile crocodile has caught the eye of Egyptians, and some people in East Africa.
To eat, the penis is crushed up with honey and ginger and consumed in belief that it will improve their sex lives.
The larger the penis, the higher the price – with the largest selling for over $100.
In the National Geographic report, a poacher states that smugglers are exporting record numbers of crocodiles – perhaps up to 3,500 eggs and hatchlings and a few hundred adult live crocodiles a year.
Aside from those in Egypt, people in the Arabian Gulf want the crocodiles for household ornaments, and hunting has exponentially increased since the chaos of the Tahrir Square uprising of 2011.
The Nile crocodile is listed as “Least Concern” on the IUCN red list.
