The best perfume companies engaged in the production of original perfumes are ready to buy ambergris for a lot of money — a kind of substance that is formed only in the intestines of a sperm whale. Amber itself resembles a dense piece of wax and is valued for its ability to retain the most subtle aromas, preserving its palette for a long time.
As you can understand, whaling has long been prohibited and this substance can only be obtained from the carcass of a dead sperm whale washed up on the shore or found in the sea. Note that not every sperm whale produces ambergris, it can be found in only 5% of individuals.
Scientists are arguing animatedly, deciding as a result of which processes this substance is formed: as a pathology or a product of normal life activity. By the way, sometimes pieces of amber come across in open water, but it happens rarely.
Yemeni fishermen were unexpectedly lucky: a whale carcass washed up on the shore near one village and, after opening it, the fishermen found a piece of amber weighing about 130 kilograms.
The whole village came to look at the wealth presented to them, worth one and a half million dollars.
The fishermen arranged a real holiday, and the money they received was spent on new housing, cars, good boats. The needy residents of the village were not denied either.
However, the largest piece of amber was washed up on the coast of Madeira in 1942. Its weight was 340 kilograms.