Why This Whale ‘Poop’ Is Called ‘Floating Gold’

Thai fisher Narit Suwansang was walking along a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province when he spotted a massive rock-like object. With the help of his relatives, he managed to lug the huge chunk, along with a few smaller pieces, home. But it turns out that it may not be a rock at all, but some kind of whale poop or puke. One that could be worth over $3 million. 

Experts have not confirmed the make up of the mysterious lump, but many believe it to be ambergris, a rare substance produced by sperm whales, local newspaper Thai Rath reported. The story has intrigued people across the country — Narit said that a businessman from Phuket has offered him 960,000 baht ($31,900) for each kilogram of the substance, if it is certified as Grade A ambergris. This would make his hefty find — weighing about 100 kilograms in total — worth over $3 million, and Narit an instant millionaire.

But what exactly is ambergris, and why is it worth a fortune?

“Ambergris is a substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales,” Chua Aik Hwee Marcus, curator at Singapore’s Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, told VICE. It is believed to be formed when fecal material accumulates around “indigestible materials of sperm whale prey” and are eventually “released into the sea when whales die.” These indigestible materials include beaks and pens of sea creatures such as squid and cuttlefish, which are frequently consumed by sperm whales.

Experts are divided on how exactly chunks of ambergris are ejected from sperm whales. While some think that whales vomit ambergris, others believe that it is passed through the whale’s intestines with fecal matter. But no matter which end of the whale it emerges from, there is consensus about the value of the rare substance.

The exorbitant prices of ambergris stem from its unique olfactory value. In earlier civilizations, ambergris was burned as incense and ingested as medicine. Today, ambergris is highly sought-after in the fragrance industry for its aroma, which has been described as “woody,” “musky,” and “an olfactory gemstone.”  It is also a fixative that keeps scents lingering on human skin.

“Ambergris is extremely rare, and is estimated to occur in just 1 percent of sperm whales, which are uncommon themselves,” said Chua.

From time to time, beachgoers stumble upon these unassuming blocks of ambergris, also known as “floating gold” and “treasure of the sea.” Just last year, a fisherman in southern Thailand found a 6.5 kilogram piece of ambergris which turned out to be worth around $470,000. 

As sperm whales are considered a vulnerable species, ambergris trade is illegal in countries such as India, Australia, and the United States. However, there remains a vibrant market for the rare whale product.