CRAB TAGUA NUT CARVED VEGETABLE IVORY CARVING

Description

Measures about 2 1/4" wide.  Good condition.
The tagua palm grows in the lowland rainforests of Ecuador and other South American countries. Tagua nuts grow in clusters on the palm, and fall to the forest floor when ripe. Growing and harvesting tagua is one way of preserving rainforest land.
It takes up to 15 years for the tagua palm to produce its first nuts. Each tree produces 20-50 lbs of nuts per year. The nuts take up to 12 months to ripen, until they are the colour and hardness of bone ivory. Once mature, a tagua palm will produce nuts for up to 100 years.
The nut clusters are gathered by people in rainforest communities, then dried for up to six months in the equatorial sun. Harvesting tagua causes no harm to any animals or the forests where it is gathered, and provides an economic incentive for local communities to protect the rainforests.