RURAL MALAYSIAN VIAGRA

As far as traditional Asian aphrodisiacs go, this is far less cruel than boshingtang or elephant. And it's far more acceptable than eating endangered species such as tigers or rhinos - not to mention a few dozen other animals.

But it's still freaky.

Villagers swallow live-fish aphrodisiac

KOTA BARU - The humble mudskipper, a type of fish, is making waves among people in a Kelantan village as an aphrodisiac - but only if swallowed live.

Carpenter Zulkifli Sulong, 45, swears by its effect on a flagging libido.

'I use it after having tried the traditional method of taking Tongkat Ali, Ubi Jaga and Halia Bara, and it works,' he said, referring to aphrodisiacs made of local plants.

Every day, he swallows four or five of the little fishes, which he catches from nearby mangrove swamps.

His late father had 16 children, he said at his home in Pasir Panjang.

'My father must have known what he was talking about when he told me that they were good for the libido.

'The thought of swallowing live fish, even if they are just 5cm long, turned me off initially but I gave it a shot and am all the happier for it.'

His friends are also eating it daily, Mr Zulkifli said.

'Many are now firm believers and they scour the mangrove swamps here for mudskippers after work,' he said.

Associate Professor Sakri Ibrahim of Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia said mudskippers were known to be an aphrodisiac.

'The testosterone level increases after live mudskippers are eaten. Higher production of testosterone will increase the male sex drive and improve infertility by increasing blood flow,' he said, adding that more research was necessary. -- New Straits Times

Watch out Muddy!

As a semi-vegetarian, I frown upon eating mammals for sexual purposes. But mudskippers are neither mammals nor endangered. Besides, I've eaten even stranger sea creatures (sometimes raw and, once, freshly killed and still twitching) so this isn't really that weird.

As a Newfoundlander, however, I strongly discourage this strange superstitious practice! There are much better ways to encourage virility.

(Ahem, just doing my bit for the Newfoundland economy.)