An Aussie Father was astonished to come across a rare and valuable discovery that had been rinsed on a popular beach.
The man and his young family gathered grenades and inspected the damage to the beach near the border between Queensland/NSW after ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred.
While checking 'If something interesting was washed', he saw what a 350 g piece Ambergris seemed to be – a waxy, fixed material formed in the intestines of less than five percent of the sperm whales.
The substance is used as an ingredient in perfumes and is estimated at at least $ 59,000 per kilogram.
However, its value is not much sense for those who find Ambergris in Australia, because it is illegal to buy and sell because it is a whale product.
The man 'knew immediately' that it was Ambergris and used a test recommended by friends to check the authenticity.
“I took it home and consulted some good friends from Australia and the US who are highly ranked in fields of Marine Taxidermy and a professor in marine biology,” he told Yahoo News.
Professor Michael Stoddart rated images of the suspected Ambergris and agreed that it seemed to be 'the right color and texture'.
A father found a lump of suspicious Ambergris (photo) during a family walk
Much erosion has been rinsed along the Northern NSW and the coastline of the southeastern Queensland after ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred
It is assumed that Ambergris helps to protect the stomach of whales against squid beaks, which form a large part of their diet, professor Stoddart advised the man to find traces of them.
The professor also explained the unusual scent of the fabric.
'The stuff is black when it is invalid and smells disgusting with feces, but becomes grayish white after years that float around in the ocean, subject to the effect of salt water and sunlight. By that time it smells like musty humidity – such as fungi, or as a forest's floor after summer rain, “he said.
Professor Stoddart also insisted on the man to report the find to his local environmental protection authority.
Ambergris findings can help researchers better understand the life cycle and distribution of sperm whales.
The Australian law prohibits the trade of Ambergris – a rare ingredient produced by a small number of sperm whales used in perfumes (depicted, a Gold Coast -beach on Saturday)
'All findings must be converted into the relevant state agency – usually the museum or parks and wild desk of the state. Being in your possession requires a license that you grant through that body, “said Professor Stoddart.
The father told Yahoo that he is preparing the paperwork to keep his rare find.
Ambergris is still traded worldwide with very few countries that limit sales – including Australia, America and India.
