A WARNING to beachgoers has been issued by the council after an unknown substance was spotted on the beach.
A member of the public, spotted the white waxy solid substance on the beach opposite Noisy Lobster in Christchurch earlier this week.
The lady initially believed it to be palm oil, but on posting the picture on social media, someone suggested it could be the highly valuable ambergris - whale vomit.
The eagle-eyed beach goer is now trying to identify what the substance is.
Ambergris is a waxy substance from the intestines of a sperm whale, which is used to prolong the scent of perfume.
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It initially has a foul smell but after years of floating on the ocean, exposure to sun and salt turn it into a smooth lump of compact rock which feels waxy and has a sweet smell.
It is worth thousands of pounds.
A spokesperson from BCP council said: “Our Beach Cleansing and Seafront Ranger teams carry out regular checks of the shoreline in BCP and are always quick to respond to reports of unknown substances.
"It is not uncommon for substances such as palm oil for example to wash up along our coastline throughout the year and especially following stormy weather.
"We would advise dog owners to be mindful when walking their dog and report any unknown substances to us so we can respond accordingly.
"These can be reported to our seafront team via 01202 123800 or bournemouth.seafront@bcpcouncil.gov.uk and our team will get involved and remove the item from the beach.”
Palm oil can get into the sea when it is legally released into the water by ships.
Whilst on the ships, and in the sea, palm oil can become contaminated with other waste products and because it is edible it can be attractive to some animals who can become ill after coming into contact with it.
In most cases, consuming palm oil won't kill a dog, but it can make them very ill. However, the oil can, in rare cases, be fatal for dogs as it can lead to a disease called pancreatitis.
Consuming palm oil can result in sickness, diarrhoea and dehydration.
The last time palm oil was found along our stretch of coast was back in October 2021.
The substance found has sparked concerns among the dog community who have taken to Facebook to warn of the potentially life-threatening dangers of palm oil.
If you are concerned that your dog has consumed palm oil, contact your vet straight away.
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