Orca whale teeth

The prevalence of orca teeth and their value in the world

Whale teeth (ivory) from the orca and various other marine animals are widespread. If the ivory has been carved by design, the process is called scrimshaw, they can cost much more, depending on quality and age, as well as origin, etc.

The number of marine mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and other animals living in the oceans decreased by 49% between 1970 and 2010. This is stated in the Living Blue Planet Report, prepared by the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London, which assesses the state of the ecosystems of the world’s oceans.

The smaller the supply of marine raw materials, the higher the price. Therefore, products can often be seen at auctions with a high cost. Incidentally, Orca products are valued as ivory.

At the same time, the economies of a large number of countries are largely dependent on the health of the ocean and its resources. About 10-12% of the world’s population live on fisheries and aquaculture. For 3 billion people, fish and seafood are the main source of animal protein.

Orca fishing is prohibited by law around the world. You can’t catch them. The ecosystem must recover itself. But this process is very slow.

Ivory is used all over the world. Figurines are made of it, various jewelry and souvenirs are carved.

Previously, opium tubes (English), covers of sacred books, consular diptychs and other works of art were made from ivory. There are references to the fact that the ancient Greeks made statues from ivory, but even fragments of these works of art did not reach us, perhaps they were made of wood and only covered with ivory

The popularity of species of hard nuts as replacements for ivory is increasing, although their sizes limit the scope of application. Sometimes called plant ivory, tagua nuts Phytelephas, in significant volumes growing in the coastal rain forests of Ecuador, Peru and Colombia.