We buy giant fossil clamshells (Tridacna Gigantea) from the local communities. These giant clams became extinct during the later Pleistocene period around 180.000 years ago and are sometimes found inland, deeply embedded in ancient limestone quarries that were once coral reefs. These we polish and sell worldwide, creating jobs and money that we use to finance our various outreach projects. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p04tp3br

I want to point out that before we started collecting these ancient relics they were bought up by Bamburi Cement Factory, milled down to powder which is used for the production of White Cement.

T.Gigantea were the largest clam species ever to exist, the largest ever found: 530 kilo, twice the size of the current world record in Guinness book of World Records.

Note: the clamshell mentioned in Guinness book of World Records is a 270 kilo Tridacna Gigas shell, a living species of giant clams that exist in and around the South China Sea. These are on the verge of extinction, heavily protected under C.I.T.E.S appendix 1, same as ivory and rhino horn (rightfully so) with heavy fines and imprisonment if caught importing/exporting them.
In comparison, T.Gigantea is extinct, hence worldwide export/import is legal as C.I.T.E.S only deals with living species of flora & fauna.

Part of the funds selling these clamshells has also gone back into the conservation of T.Gigas in HaiNan/China. Volker Bassen is now a honorary member of HaiNan’s Sea Shell Conservation Council and has introduced ways of breeding T.Gigas artificially through his friend Phil Door. “Pointing fingers will not achieve anything, you have to interact with these people from within. That is the only thing that will provoke real change, sharing information as well as mindset” Volker Bassen.

Check our photo gallery to see these ancient treasures and find out more: https://venuscollection.co.uk/

Our menstrual cup initiative has also been funded through the sales of these ancient treasures from Mother Nature..https://www.wondercup.org/

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