The object believed to be an ambergris was discovered on the island beach by a woman residing in Foddhoo, Fathmath Waseema born to Shaviyani atoll Foakaidhoo island.

A family member of Waseema said Friday that a sample of the suspected ambergris had been sent to Sri Lanka four days back, and the results could be expected within a week.

“We sent it with a family member. A local company had expressed interest [in testing the ambergris], but we couldn’t trust them, so opted instead for this [testing abroad].”

Should the black object Waseema found turn out to be an ambergris, it is estimated to have a selling price of over MVR 5 million.

Waseema’s find joins a series of suspected ambergris found by Maldivians recently.

A local, Ahmed Ibrahim had discovered what looked like an ambergris while he was fishing in the lagoon off the northern coast of Lhaviyani Atoll Kurendhoo.

An island councillor from Alif Dhall Atoll Hanyameedhoo found a suspected ambergris in December.

The discovery followed two separate incidents where two police officers in Raa Atoll Inguraidhoo found one while a local businessman fished out a 30kg ambergris in Shaviyani Atoll Komandoo.

The businessman from Komandoo had sold his ambergris for USD37 per gram.

However, several suspected ambergris found in Maldivian islands had turned out to be oil slicks, such as the 60kg “ambergris” found by the crew of a fishing vessel off the coast of Haa Dhaal atoll Kulhudhuffushi recently this month.

(haveeru.com)