A remarkable find in the Canary Islands has captured the attention of local experts and perhaps companies that may seek to cash in.
Last month, a beached sperm whale on the volcanically active island of La Palma revealed a surprising treasure: a sizeable lump of “vomit” that could potentially be valued at more than $250,000, The New York Post reported.
The whale was discovered lifeless on the shores of the volcanically active island of La Palma on Nogales Beach.
Inside the giant creature, researchers stumbled upon a hefty chunk of a substance known as ambergris, which weighed nearly 20 pounds.
Vomit worth $250K discovered inside whale’s colon https://t.co/QRZJQUlRsw pic.twitter.com/H79weu4swN
— New York Post (@nypost) June 29, 2023
According to experts from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ambergris is a substance that whales can create when they have ingested something that might irritate their bowels.
In the instance of the whale found on Nogales Beach, researchers believe it might have suffered from chronic obstructive inflammation, which led to an illness that proved fatal.
But through its suffering and death, the animal might have left behind a fortune in its colon.
Officials at the university told Jam Press that the obstruction of ambergris measured approximately 33 feet in length and nearly two feet in diameter.
Due to its scarcity, ambergris is highly sought after. A gram can sell for as much as $27, while a pound could be worth up to $10,000.
The rare material is sought after by perfume companies for its ability to prolong the scent of some products.
Astonishingly, only about one percent of sperm whales are even capable of producing ambergris, according to estimates.
According to British GQ, ambergris is “used as a fixative to help scents last longer, and its perfume can be best described as marine, animal and sweet.”
It is illegal to kill sperm whales, so opportunities for scent makers to get their hands on the substance rely on chance encounters with them.
The question of who will benefit from the discovered ambergris remains to be answered.
A spokesperson from the university said it would safeguard the precious find until the government determines who should benefit from its sale.
“If it is worth something, the island government will sell it and distribute the money among the people who need it the most,” a school representative said.
The remark was an apparent reference to the island’s historic 85 days of volcanic eruptions in 2021, Sky News reported.
No deaths were reported, but homes across the island were buried in volcanic ash, while others were destroyed.
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