Honey Badger Baculum

KO-524 $28.00

A baculum, or penis bone, is found in most mammal species—including cats, dogs, bears, and sea lions. Several theories explain why this bone evolved and how it relates to sexual competition: it may support longer copulation to prevent rival males from mating, stimulate ovulation in females, or help transfer sperm more effectively.

One study found that the honey badger’s uniquely shaped baculum—described as resembling an "ice cream scoop"—may allow a male to remove the sperm of a previous mate and then push his own sperm directly through the cervix (Brassey 2020).

The unusual shape of the honey badger baculum highlights the remarkable diversity of this skeletal structure. Scientists generally attribute this variation to sexual selection. Because successful reproduction is so critical, any trait that improves mating success experiences strong evolutionary pressure. As a result, genital structures have evolved rapidly into a wide range of forms to meet these reproductive challenges.