Ambergris: Whale Vomit – Worth More Than Its Weight in Gold

If you haven’t heard of ambergris, it a substance created within sperm whales to protect its digestive tract from the undigestible.

Also referred to as whale vomit or whale poop and floating gold, ambergris, contains unique properties not found anywhere else. This scarcity makes it very valuable. In fact, ambergris is said to be more valuable by weight than gold. It is coveted by perfumers for its unique qualities. It is the perfect substance for what is called base notes of fragrances, as explained in the following video.

In the following clip a 50 year-old dog walker comes across a clump of ambergris on a Lancashire beach. Watch the story below.

The video clip below explains why this substance is so expensive:

Who knew that there was such thing as ambergris hunters that track this substance. Surprisingly, as rare as it is, there is enough of it out there to support an industry.

A group of fishermen in Yemen happened across a floating sperm whale carcass in the Gulf of Aden. When they opened the carcass they uncovered $1.5M worth of ambergris. It was a life changing windfall for all of them.

Watch the informative clip below for more details about ambergris and a spectacular find by a group of fishermen.

Images Source YouTube Clips 1, 2

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