Climate change is a really big issue that is killing a lot of flora and fauna on this planet. But we often seem to disregard it unless something major happens. The 'Magic fungus' Yarchagumba is currently under threat and has become super rare to obtain!

Yarchagumba, formally known as Ophiocordyceps Sinensis is formed when a parasite fungus latches on the body of a caterpillar, slowly killing it. The wonder drug is extremely valuable and a lot of people have died in the quest for it. 

Found in the Himalayas, mostly in a small part of India, Nepal and China, the drug is sold all over the world for sky high prices. It is a crucial source of income for thousands of collectors in the region. 

Yarchagumba is boiled in water to make tea or make soup and it is believed to have magical healing properties. People use it to cure impotency and even treat cancer! It is also an effective Viagra that is rumoured to give a man a 3-hour long erection!

Recently, a batch of premium Yarchagumba was sold three times the price of gold in Beijing! A recent report conducted by the National Academy of Sciences, a US journal revealed that the caterpillar fungus production is declining throughout much of its range.

The cone-shaped fungus is found at places more than 11,500 feet above sea level and it needs a very specific climate, temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius in areas where the soil is not permanently frozen.

Winter temperatures in the region have significantly warmed over the years and it continues to get warmer every year! While the collectors hoped that the fungus would move up the mountains to colder habitats, they are not seeing any considerable shift in the fungus' location. 

Now, researchers have set up a few facilities in the region to study and possibly cultivate the rare fungus. 

Yarchugumba is now available online in various forms for public consumption. You can order a batch of infused tea powder for about 1200 INR and you can also buy the fungus in its natural form starting at 1500 INR per piece!