EXPLAINED: What Is Ambergris Or Whale Vomit? Why It Is Called 'Floating Gold' That Is So Valuable

Ambergris, which has been called the “treasure of the sea”, and “floating gold”, is produced by sperm whales and is often described as one of the strangest natural occurrences in the world.

Ambergris or whale vomit, also called floating gold, is used in expensive perfumes for its unique scent which lasts longer | Photo: Peter Kaminski/Wikimedia Commons

New Delhi: The Thane police Saturday seized 26 kilograms of ambergris, commonly called whale vomit, and arrested two persons under the Wildlife Protection Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The 'whale vomit', also known as grey amber and 'floating gold', was worth Rs 1 crore, according to reports.

Earlier this month, the Pimpri Chinchwad police in Maharashtra arrested two persons in Pune with 550 grams of ambergris. Prior to that, a pharmacist was arrested in Aarey, Mumbai, in November for allegedly selling whale vomit worth Rs 15 crore, and six persons were arrested in August for allegedly smuggling 3 kgs of the substance.

These are not isolated incidents. Smuggling of 'whale vomit' is common because it costs more than gold. Since June this year, at least 26 people have been arrested for the illegal trade of ambergris.

But what exactly is ambergris? And what makes it so expensive? 

Origin Of Ambergris Or 'Floating Gold'

Ambergris is produced by sperm whales and is often described as one of the strangest natural occurrences in the world. It is a waxy, solid and inflammable substance produced in the intestines of the sperm whale, and is used in perfumes and medicines. Though ambergris, or whale vomit, has been used for centuries, its origin remained a mystery for many years. 

Ambergris is formed when whales produce a fatty, cholesterol-rich substance, which acts as a defence and coats or surrounds the indigestible parts of the sperm whale’s prey, such as beaks and pens of squid and cuttlefish, according to Ambergris Connect, a UK firm that claims to connect buyers and sellers of genuine ambergris. The waxy substance allows the beaks to pass through the whale’s four stomachs without causing much damage to the intestinal walls, before expelling into the sea.

The indigestible elements are vomited out before digestion. In rare circumstances, these elements move into the whale’s intestines and bind together. Slowly, they become a solid mass of ambergris, growing inside the whale, according to an article by the National History Museum (NHM). Some people believe that the whale regurgitates its mass, and this is what earned ambergris its nickname — whale vomit.

Sperm whales produce ambrein only to glue together squid beaks. Ambergris starts as a mixture of squid beaks, ambrein, and another digestive product called epicoprostanol, the article said. It changes from a lump of poo into floating gold that has incorporated various smells of the ocean, according to an article by Prifysgol Bangor University.

Ambergris, which starts as a black lump, slowly bleaches. The ageing is believed to cause a reduction in the scent of faeces, which is water soluble and gradually lost, and is also responsible for the incorporation of the scents of the sea. The scents of the sea are fat-loving and absorbed by the waxy ambergris in the making.

Fossilised evidence of ambergris dates back to 1.75 million years. It is likely that humans have been using it for more than 1000 years. Ambergris has been called the “treasure of the sea”, and “floating gold”. It is called floating gold as it is floats in the ocean after being expelled, and is one of the most sought after substances in the manufacture of perfumes.

Earlier, it was theorised that ambergris is hardened foam or the droppings of large birds. However, in the 1800s, the identity of the sole producer of ambergris was uncovered. The sperm whale (Physeter macrophalus) is the only living organism that produces Ambergris.

Richard Sabin, Curator of Marine Mammals at NHM, said that ambergris forms in the intestines and passes along with faecal matter, forming an obstruction in the rectum. Since sperm whales live all over the world, ambergris is expected to be found floating on any ocean. However, it is uncommon, and is found in less than 5 per cent of whale carcasses, he noted. Pygmy and Dwarf sperm whales are also thought to produce ambergris in smaller amounts.

What Makes Ambergris So Precious?

According to reports, 1 kilogram of ambergris is sold for Rs 1 crore in the international market. The reason for the high prize lies in the origin of ambergris, according to the article by the Prifysgol Bangor University. Only sperm whales make ambrein, the compound responsible for ambergris’ allure.

Ambergris is very rare because not every sperm whale poo includes lumps. Also, the numbers of sperms are much lower these days.

The odour of ambergris is one of its clearest identifying traits. Whale vomit has been used in some expensive perfumes as it allows the scent to last longer. Amberin, an odourless alcohol, is believed to make a perfume’s scent last longer. On exposure to a certain type of activated oxygen, amberin creates fragrance compounds that are lighter and more volatile.

Ambergris is said to possess a foul smell after it is expelled by the whale, according to the NHM article. Once the mass dries out, the scent becomes more pleasant, and is often described as musky.

Perfumiers categorise the quality of ambergris on the basis of its colour. The finest perfumes are made from pure white varieties, while black ambergris is considered the least valuable as it contains the least ambrein. When oxidation occurs due to exposure to sea and air, ambergris changes its colour. The colours can range from black and white to grey and brown. Synthetic chemicals have now replaced ambrein in most expensive perfumes due to the high cost of ambergris.

Early Arab civilisations used perfumes made out of ambergris as an incense, aphrodisiac, and a medium to cure many ailments, including those of the brain and heart.

Ambergris is putting whales at risk because sperm whales are being hunted down for their vomit. However, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) considers ambergris a waste product that occurs naturally, making it legal to collect it from the sea.

The sale of ambergris is prohibited in India because sperm whales, an endangered species, are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1927. Sperm whales are found mostly in the Arabian Sea off Gujarat, and Bay of Bengal off Odisha.

Lack of proper awareness among fishermen and the public about ambergris is causing the smuggling of whale vomit to rise in India, a New Indian Express report quoted a forest official as saying.