When a dead sperm whale washed up on a beach on the Canary Island of La Palma on May 21, no one could have guessed that a valuable treasure lay hidden in its guts. A scientist trying to determine the cause of death discovered a rare lump of ambergris, also known as the floating gold, in the animal’s colon. It is the holy grail for the perfume industry and worth a whopping 500,000 euros.
A choppy sea and rising tide made it difficult to perform an autopsy, but Antonio Fernández Rodríguez, head of the Animal Health and Food Safety Institute at the University of Las Palmas, was determined to find out why the whale had died, writes the British newspaper ‘The Guardian’.
He suspected a digestive problem and inspected the animal’s colon. Then the scientist felt something hard stuck in that part of the intestine. “What I took out was a ‘stone’ with a diameter of about 50-60 cm and a weight of 9.5 kg,” he explained. “I had a precious lump of ambergris in my hands.”
Ambergris originates in the intestines of the sperm whale. How? Sperm whales love squid, which they eat carapace and all. Most of it is not digested and regurgitated. Sometimes the substance is also excreted and found floating at sea. But occasionally, as in the case of the whale on La Palma, the lump gets too big, causing the intestine to rupture and the whale to die.
Ambergris has a woody scent like sandalwood, but also contains an unscented alcohol that can enhance other scents and make perfume adhere better to the skin. Hence, it is considered the holy grail of the perfume industry.
The Spanish institute is now looking for a buyer for the precious find. Scientist Fernández said they hoped the money raised could be used to help victims of the volcanic eruption on La Palma.
In 2021, there was intense volcanic activity on the island for three months. The eruption lasted 85 days and 18 hours. The damage from the eruption is estimated at more than 900 million euros. The unexpected find can help alleviate the suffering a bit.
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