Fishermen strike gold with whale vomit worth $3 million
- Fishermen strike gold off the coast of Oman
- Ambergris or whale vomit is extremely rare and valuable
- It is said to be worth $3 million
Follow
It was just another day for these three fishermen in Oman. Well, almost.
In the vast ocean of possibilities, they struck the proverbial jackpot.
An extremely rare and valuable substance was seen floating off the coast of Oman. Called “ambergris”, this is a type of excretion expelled from sperm whales. Sometimes, they vomit it out.
According to The Times of Oman, Khalid Al Sinani said, “We used a rope to collect it and carry it inside the boat,” adding further that, “After we made sure it was ambergris, we started cutting it in order to dry and sell it later.”
Ambergris can be best described as a “whale hairball”. It occurs as a biological reaction to “protect their bowels from indigestible sharp objects that occasionally get swallowed, such as giant squid beaks,” according to MNN.
This waxy-like substance foul smell fades away after a period of time thanks to oxidisation, and releases a pleasant fragrance. Hence, it is highly sought after ingredient in the perfume industry. So don’t be surprised if your favourite perfume happens to contain them.
The 176-pound of ambergris has found a Saudi trader who has offered them $3 million.
