Scientists have discovered a “valuable treasure” worth half a million USD inside the carcass of a sperm whale that washed ashore on the Canary Island of La Palma, Spain.
The rough seas and rising tides made it challenging to examine the whale’s body, but Antonio Fernández Rodríguez, the head of the Institute of Animal Health and Food Security at the University of Las Palmas, was determined to investigate the cause of the animal’s death.
Ambergris extracted from the carcass of a sperm whale in Spain. (Photo: Guardian).
Suspecting that the whale had digestive issues, he examined its intestines and felt something hard. “What I pulled out was a stone with a diameter of about 50-60 cm and weighing 9.5 kg. The waves had battered the whale’s body. Everyone was watching as I returned to the beach, but they didn’t know that what I was holding was ambergris.”
Ambergris, often referred to as “floating gold”, has been a rare and valuable material in the perfume industry for centuries. The piece of ambergris that Fernández held is valued at approximately 543,000 USD.
Ambergris has a scent reminiscent of sandalwood but also contains ambrein, an odorless alcohol that can fix and prolong fragrance, making it highly sought after by perfumers.
Only 1 in 100 sperm whales produces ambergris. These whales consume a significant amount of squid and cuttlefish, which are mostly indigestible and expelled by the whale. However, some remnants remain and can bond over the years in the whale’s intestines to form ambergris.
Scientists studying the carcass of a sperm whale. (Photo: Guardian).
Sometimes, sperm whales excrete ambergris, which is why it is often found floating at sea. In cases like the sperm whale in La Palma, it can grow too large, causing intestinal rupture and resulting in the whale’s death.
Fernández stated that he is looking for a buyer for this ambergris, and the proceeds will be used to support the victims of the volcanic eruption in La Palma in 2021. The eruption two years ago caused damage exceeding 870 million USD and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses.
The United States, Australia, and India have banned the trade of ambergris as part of a ban on hunting and exploiting sperm whales.
