Most people would steer clear from a heaping pile of whale vomit – an others – well, they would grab it up, sell it and become rich!
60-year-old Naris Suwannasang need the help of his cousin to bring the 220-pounds of whale vomit out of the ocean and into his home to examine it further. The pair realized what they had weren’t stones as they originally though, rather it was whale vomit.
That might be gross to some, but whale vomit, also known as ambergris, is actually worth a fortune. It contains an odorless alcohol that is used in perfumes to make their scent last longer. After testing the material by burning a small amount with a lighter, it gave off a tell-tale musky smell, which meant it was indeed ambergris, and that amount of it is likely worth millions of dollars.
It’s one of the largest amounts of ambergris ever found and Naris already has an offer from a businessman willing to pay $15,000 per pound, totaling $3.1 million, depending on the quality of the fisherman’s find. Before finding the ambergris, Naris had been making about $625 a month. He plans to go to the police so his discovery is on record in case anyone tries to steal it.
One whale’s vomit is another man’s million-dollar treasure. #Thailand #Ambergris #Perfume #Cosmetics pic.twitter.com/kuWyD5zAHC
— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) December 1, 2020
Ambergris comes from sperm whales since they eat a ton of squid and octopus. Scientists think ambergris is produced to make it easier for a whale to digest the shells and beaks from what they’ve eaten.