Substance Found In The Sperm Whale
France 24 is not responsible for the content of external websites. For Yemeni fisherman Fares Abdulhakeem and his friends, the day was like any other as they headed out to sea to earn a living in the war-torn country -- until they hit the jackpot in the belly of a whale. Abdulhakeem related how he was among 35 fishermen who stumbled upon a floating sperm whale carcass in February, about 26 kilometres 16 miles off the coast of the southern city of Aden. He said they dragged the dead mammal back to shore, where they sliced it open and struck "floating gold", or ambergris, a rare substance formed in the whale's digestive system which is used in making perfume. Some of the money was used to help those in need in the community, while the rest was split among the group of fishermen. Yemeni fishermen have traditional knowledge that ambergris -- a waxy substance used to stabilise the scent in perfumes -- can be found in sperm whales, but actually coming across one is a vanishingly rare event.
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‘Whale Vomit’ Potentially Worth $70,000
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First and foremost, it is important to disclose the most intriguing aspect of Ambergris; Despite being recognised as extremely rare and valuable throughout history ambergris was known and considered as an imperial trade article in Africa as early as BC. No one to this day has ever seen this curious substance physically depart the sperm whale. Many research papers have alluded to the fact this is faecal and not vomit; this has in recent years been scientifically verified. The sperm whale can consume up to a ton of fish and squid per day mainly giant squid. This process is similar to a grain of sand in an oyster forming a pearl! Ambergris is found at sea or on coastal shorelines all over the world. Since ancient times, ambergris has been used as an ingredient in medicines and perfumes.
Maharashtra: Multiple Cases Of Ambergris Seizure By Police Raise Fear Of Sperm Whale Poaching
The legend goes that whale sick — ambergris — is extremely valuable. But evidence suggests that ambergris is not vomited up by whales at all. In fact, it may come out of the other end…. There are three species of sperm whale.
In a recent case, the Mumbai crime branch sent the samples of ambergris to the state-run wildlife forensic science laboratory in Nagpur, said a lab official. DNA analysis will reveal whether the sample is pure ambergris or is it adulterated, he added. This is not the first time that the TMC has been hit by a scandal.
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