Pod of sperm whales swimming together

Sperm whale ‘vomit’ worth millions seized from smugglers

As lovers of all things wild, we’d like to believe that everyone has the best interest of wildlife at heart. The truth, however, is that wildlife trafficking is among the most profitable natural resource crimes in the world. One of the most recent instances of this type of illegal activity involved a large amount of sperm whale vomit.

On May 20, police in India seized an enormous amount of ambergris, better known as “whale vomit,” from smugglers. Further investigation into the substance revealed that it was worth millions of dollars.

Local authorities received a tip regarding the transport of the illegal ambergris and apprehended the smugglers near the coast of Tamil Nadu in South India. The exact amount of sperm whale vomit being smuggled varies by report, but it was somewhere between 20 and 40 pounds.

“Ambergris is very expensive and costs around 1.5 to 2 crore rupees [$181,154 to $241,531] per kilogram [2.2 pounds],” Seema Latkar, Mysuru’s district police superintendent, said at a press conference, according to The Hindu.

This valuation would put the total worth of the smugglers’ ambergris stash somewhere between $1.7 million and $4.35 million. According to reports, three people were arrested in connection with the sperm whale vomit smuggling case.

Why sperm whale vomit?

Every year, over a thousand whales are slaughtered, both legally and illegally, for their meat and body parts. Everything from their oil and blubber to their cartilage and meat is used in commercial products. Sperm whale vomit, however, is perhaps the most valuable of all.

Ambergris is such a coveted, high-value item that it’s known as “floating gold” and “treasure of the sea.” But why? What use could whale vomit possibly have?

Well, as off-putting as it may sound, the primary use of ambergris is in perfume. When removed from or expelled by a sperm whale, ambergris is said to smell like feces. After drying out, though, it takes on a more pleasant, musky scent.

From ambergris, perfumers can draw ambrein, an odorless alcohol. And it’s this ingredient that’s ultimately used in high-end perfumes to make the scent last longer.

In ancient times, ambergris from sperm whales was used as incense and an aphrodisiac, as well as in medicines for the brain, heart, and senses.

Now, however, many countries have banned whaling, along with the trade of ambergris. In many cases, trading the substance is illegal even if it’s taken from the ocean surface and not from a slaughtered whale.

Ambergris’ origins remain a topic of debate among scientists

The high value of ambergris comes from its rarity. The strange substance is only found in about 5 percent of whales, which at one time resulted in the hunting and slaughter of countless sperm whales.

We’ve been aware of ambergris for centuries – but what it is, exactly, remains a topic of debate. More specifically, from which end of the sperm whale does it come out?

Cephalopods are among a sperm whale’s favorite meals. Whole squids, however, aren’t always the easiest on the digestive tract. To combat this issue, the whale’s body forms ambergris to protect its organs from the beaks and pens of its prey.

Once enough of this substance has built up in the sperm whale’s gut, it expels the ambergris from its body. Many scientists believe the whale regurgitates the substance, giving it the nickname whale vomit. Others disagree, maintaining that it comes from the whale’s bowels.

Now, ambergris in perfume has largely been replaced with synthetic chemicals, due to its rarity and cost. But now you know – if you ever buy an expensive perfume, you could be spritzing yourself with whale vomit…or worse.