Nepal harvest rush threatens 'Himalayan Viagra' fungus

Demand soars as supplies drop from loss of habitat and over-harvesting

For decades, a rare fungus, prized as an aphrodisiac and dubbed "Himalayan Viagra", has been a source of income for poor villagers in Nepal's remote Himalayan foothills.

Men, women and children stream into high meadows every year to harvest the fungus called yarsagumba, meaning "summer grass, winter worm", which grows from dead moth larvae. High-quality specimens fetch thousands of dollars a kilogram.