An English couple has made what they think is a lucrative discovery, and it’s not gold. The treasure they found while strolling the beach? Whale vomit.
Formally known as ambergris, this rare substance is secreted into a sperm whale’s digestive tract to aid in the digestion of sharp objects (such as giant squid beaks) that it eats on a regular basis.
It can float around in the ocean for decades before washing up on a beach.
The waxy substance is used as an ingredient in perfumes to make the scent last longer.
Because of its rarity, it has quite a market high value: This 3.5 pound chunk of is thought to be worth $70,000.
This could, however, end up just being a chunk of animal fat. We’ll have to wait and see.
Trade of ambergris within the US is banned to avoid the exploitation of sperm whales. Many perfumers use alternatives for this reason.
Check out this related video of a man who found a chunk worth nearly $57,000…
