Dried genitalia are an important element of traditional medicine in many cultures around the world…Wildlife law enforcement officers can learn to differentiate the various species sources of these products and detect genuine tiger penises from the abundant fakes currently being sold to unsuspecting tourists and consumers…In animal markets, some parts and products are not what they are labeled. One of the most difficult products to identify has been genuine dried tiger penises. The reason for this is the rarity of the real thing and a long tradition of the production of “lesser tiger” or tiger substitute, that is, any other large mammal that can be promoted as a replacement for tiger. When rehydrated and consumed in a soup or tea, this product is believed to serve as an aphrodisiac or restorative tisane. To date, no dried penis from an actual tiger has been seen in the Lab as evidence in a wildlife case.
…Because genuine tiger penises are so rare, the buying public apparently no longer knows what a real tiger penis looks like. Artisans, therefore, must fabricate barbed penises out of cattle and deer genitals to replicate an appearance based on myth and public demand…In order to replicate these barbs, skilled craftsmen take the organs of slaughtered cattle and fabricate barbs by making tiny V-shaped cuts (Figure 4) over the surface of the glans penis. Then by hanging the modified penis upside down, the edges of these little cuts curl under during drying and form a barb-like projection
…The penis from a real tiger has a small triangular baculum, but it is seldom visible even in an x-ray, being obscured by folds in dense, dried tissues. The genitalia of other mammals are used in the wildlife trade, and can usually be identified by the size and shape of the internal penis bone or baculum. Sometimes the dried genitals must be macerated or cleaned by dermestid beetles to extract the baculum. X-rays are the best screening tool for initial examination of the dried penis. An expert should be consulted to interpret the radiographs.
…To eliminate tiger, consider the following characteristics:
A dried penis cannot be from tiger if
-
very obvious barbs or spines cover the tip as in Figure 4 & Figure 5
(It is probably from a large ungulate. Figure 6)
-
it has a large baculum visible on x-ray; compare to Figure 3
(It is probably from a carnivore. Figure 9)
-
it is long (>8 inches) from tip to scrotum
(It is probably deer, cattle, or horse. Figure 6.)