Ambergris, which means gray amber in French, is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of the protected sperm whales.
What is ambergris?
Ambergris, which means gray amber in French, is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of the protected sperm whales. While it is incorrectly referred to as ‘whale vomit,’ one of the theories about its formation suggests that it is produced in the gastrointestinal tract of some of the sperm whales for the passage of hard, sharp objects that are ingested when the whale eats large quantities of marine animals. The ambergris is said to be passed like feces and has a very strong fecal odour combined with a strong marine odour. The freshly passed ambergris is a light yellowish substance and is fatty but as it ages it turns waxy and gets red brownish, sometimes with shades of gray and black in colour and attains a mild, earthy, sweet smell but still with notes of mild marine odour.
What are the uses of ambergris and why is it so expensive?
Investigating agencies from across India who have seized ambergris in the recent past estimate its value to be somewhere between Rs 1 to 2 crores per kilogram, depending on the purity and quality.Officials sayTraditionally, ambergris is used to produce perfumes which have notes of musk. While there are records of it being used to flavor food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco in some cultures in the past, it is rarely used for these purposes presently.
A forest department official in Pune who was part of investigation into the seizure of ambergris in August said, “Trade and sale of Ambergris is banned in nearly 40 countries. While in our case, it was procured from somewhere in coastal Karnataka, we now know that ambergris is procured mainly from coastal areas of other states too. It is also believed that the key market for ambergris is in the middle eastern countries, select European and South East Asian countries. There are also reports that it is considered as an aphrodisiac and is used in some medicines.”
Legalities and recent cases of seizure in India
While there is a ban on possession and trade of ambergris in countries like the USA, Australia and India, in several other countries it is a tradable commodity, though with limitations in some of them. In the Indian context, the sperm whales are a protected species under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act and possession or trade of any of its by-products, including Ambergris and its byproducts, is illegal under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It has been observed that the gangs smuggling the ambergris procure it from coastal areas and ship it to destination countries via some other countries with whom India has comparatively less stringent sea trade.
The Crime Branch of the Pimpri Chinchwad police has arrested two persons and have seized around 550 grams of ambergris valued by the investigators at Rs 1.1 crore in illegal market. The two arrested persons are from Nashik and one of them was caught when he had brought ambergris to Pune in search of a potential buyer. The cops, working on a tip off, caught the man with the help of a decoy customer. In August this year the Pune Division of the Forest Department had arrested six persons and had seized from them three kilograms of ambergris. Multiple actions have been conducted by investigating agencies across India including Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in which much larger quantities of ambergris have been seized. that being extremely rare contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market.
Written by Sushant Kulkarni
Source: Indian Express, 9/12/21
