Woman’s unbelievable $357k discovery
<p><span>A woman cannot believe her luck after she found what is believed to be a piece of expensive ambergris washed up near her beach house.</span><br /><br /><span>Siriporn Niamrin, 49, revealed she was walking along the sand after a rainstorm when she noticed the bizarre mass in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand, on February 23.</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Niamrin investigated the substance and found it had a fishy smell.</span><br /><br /><span>She dragged it back to her house about 500 metres away in hopes that it could be something she could sell.</span><br /><br /><span>The woman asked her neighbours for help and was shocked when they informed her that it could be ambergris, also known as whale vomit.</span><br /><br /><span>Ambergris is a result of sperm whales bile ducts in the gastrointestinal tract making secretions to ease the passage of large or sharp objects.</span><br /><br /><span>The whale vomits the mucilage, which solidifies and floats on the surface of the ocean.</span></p>
<p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840103/daily-13.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/be514a4bab2f46bba0bbea982437552f" /></p>
<p><em>Image: ViralPress</em><br /><br /><span>The solid chunk has a terrible smell at first but after the mucilage dries out, it develops a sweet and fragrance that lasts a long time – making it a deeply sought-after ingredient in the perfume industry.</span><br /><br /><span>They are now waiting for experts to visit her house to confirm that the lump is genuine ambergris.</span><br /><br /><span>The oval-shaped lump weighed in at 7kg and was around 30cms wide and 60cms long.</span><br /><br /><span>The weight gives the chunk of ambergris an estimated value of around A$357,000, based on previous sales.</span><br /><br /><span>"If I really have the genuine ambergris, I can help my community once I find a buyer for it," Siriporn said.</span><br /><br /><span>"I feel lucky to have found such a large piece. I hope it will bring me money.</span><br /><br /><span>"I'm keeping it safe in my house and I have asked the local council to visit to check it."</span></p>
