THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala forest and wildlife department is awaiting the test result to confirm whether the substance received from the sea is ambergris (whale vomit) or not.
A group of fishermen has recently found a waxy substance weighing 25kg off Vizhinjam coast and it was sent for testing at Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB).
The recent experiences have doubled scepticism regarding the genuineness of the substance being ambergris.
In the recent three incidents, the ambergris-like substance received from the sea were not whale vomit when tested.
“Ambergris is formed from a secretion of bile duct in the intestines of sperm whales. As sperm whales are not found in our seas, the chances to find pure ambergris is very limited. A few months ago, a substance weighing 55kg was found near Vizhinjam coast. It was suspected to be ambergris. However, when examined, it was just the excreta of blue whales. The excreta of blue whales is not considered as ambergris as it does not possess the qualities of pure ambergris produced by sperm whales. Later, we buried the substance in the range office compound,” said Paruthippally forest range officer Shaji Jose. Earlier, similar substances were recovered from the sea in Thrissur and Malappuram. However, when tested those were found as excreta of blue whales.
Ambergris has been in use for over a thousand years to make medicines and perfumes.
According to a science report, when sperm whales eat fish like squid and cuttle, the hard spikes in them would not get digested. When they come in touch with the soft surface of the intestine, a fat-like fluid is released and it sticks all the hard materials together. It attains the shape of a ball and the intestine absorbs water from it. Gradually, it becomes very hard and later released as excreta.
Only 1% of sperm whales produce ambergris, which is very precious. The sale of ambergris is prohibited by law in India.
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