floating gold a natural and unnatural history of ambergris

In the Indian context, 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.

Legalities and recent cases of seizure in India: 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.

It is also believed to be used in some traditional medicines.

It being extremely rare contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market.

18.00 Grundkurs Ethik: Band 1: Grundlagen.

The reason for its high cost is its use in the perfume market, especially to create fragrances like musk. Browse Books Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris (Paperback).Investigating agencies from across India estimate its value to be somewhere between Rs 1 to 2 crores per kilogram, depending on the purity and quality.This excretion is so valuable it is referred to as floating gold.German physician Franz Schwediawer in 1783 called it “ preternaturally hardened whale dung”.

It floats around the surface of the water body and at times settles on the coast.

As per Kemp, Ambergris is produced only by an estimated one per cent of sperm whales.

According to him, Ambergris, a solid waxy substance originating in the intestine of the sperm whale ( Physeter catodon ).

However, Christopher Kemp, the author of ‘Floating gold: A Natural and (unnatural) history of Ambergris’, says this is not right. Also known as floating gold, ambergris or whale vomit is produced by sperm whales and is used in the making of perfumes and traditional medicines.

It is sometimes referred to as whale vomit.

The Crime Branch in Pune and seized 550 grams of ambergris, also known as ‘floating gold’.

Floating gold a natural and unnatural history of ambergris