Šećući plažom nedaleko od svoje kuće, 49-godišnju Tajlanđanku Siriporn Niamrin prošloga je tjedna pomazila sreća. Naime, na plaži je naišla na 15 kilograma tešku stvrdnutu bljuvotinu kita. Ta naizgled odvratna masa na tržištu vrijedi oko 257.000 američkih dolara, odnosno više od 1,7 milijuna kuna piše Daily Mail.
Naime, ta sivosmeđa kruta tvar poznata kao ambergris vrlo je tražena roba jer se koristi u proizvodnji parfema.
Rijedak i skupocjen sastojak parfema
Uočivši tu stvrdnutu masu, Siriporn je po mirisu pretpostavila o čemu je riječ i shvatila da bi joj to što je pronašla moglo pomoći da zaradi popriličnu svotu novca. Nakon što joj je susjed pomogao donijeti krutu tvar ovalnog oblika do kuće, upućeniji sumještani potvrdili su joj o čemu je riječ.
Kako bi provjerili autentičnost, plamenom iz upaljača otopili su djelić te tvari nalik vosku i pričekali da se ponovno ohladi. Tada su bili sigurni da se radi o ambergrisu, vrlo rijetkom i skupocjenom sastojku za proizvodnju parfema.
Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, February 23, 2021 (video still) NEWS COPY - WITH VIDEO AND PICTURES A lucky Thai woman found a huge lump believed to be expensive ambergris washed up near her beach house.
Siriporn Niamrin, 49, was walking along the beach after a rainstorm when she noticed the strange mass in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand on February 23.
She walked up closer to the substance to have a look and found it had a fishy smell.
Thinking that it could be something she could sell, she dragged it back to her house which was around 500 metres away from the beach.
The oval-shaped lump weighed 7kg and was about 12 inches wide and 24 inches long. Based on previous sale prices, the weight would give the ambergris an estimated value of around 260,000 USD (186,500 GBP).
The woman asked her neighbours for help to know what it was and was shocked when some of them told her that it could be rare ambergris, also known as whale vomit.
To further check whether the lump was actually ambergris, they held a naked flame to some of its parts which caused it to melt. It then hardened again after it cooled down.
The waxy lump also had a fishy smell - another indication, according to neighbours - that the woman had found a genuine piece of ambergris.
Siriporn is now waiting for experts to visit her house to confirm that the lump is genuine ambergris, the rare ingredient used in the perfume industry.
Siriporn said: 'If I really have the genuine ambergris, I can help my community once I find a buyer for it.
'I feel lucky to have found such a large piece. I hope it will bring me money. I'm keeping it safe in my house and I have asked the local council to visit to check it.'
Ambergris is produced by sperm whales when bile ducts in the gastrointestinal tract make secretions to ease the passage of large or sharp objects. The whale them vomits the mucilage which solidifies and floats on the surface of the ocean.
The solid chunk has a foul smell at first but,Image: 594284483, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no
Isprva smrdi, a kada se osuši postaje mirisna tvar
Nakon što je zatražila pomoć od susjeda oko nalaza ovalnog oblika, Siriporn se šokirala kada su joj rekli da je tvar povraćanje kita, poznata kao ambergris, koja je vrlo tražena u industriji parfema.
"Sretna sam što sam pronašla tako velik komad. Nadam se da će mi donijeti novac. Čuvam ga na sigurnom u svojoj kući", kazala je.
Ta sluzava tvar iz probanog trakta kitova isprva, kada se stvrdne, ima vrlo neugodan miris. No vremenom, kada se osuši, poprima postojan slatkasti miris što ga čini traženim sastojkom u industriji parfema.
