An extremely rare orange lobster was found in the seafood section of the market in Southampton, New York, and was lucky enough to be rescued and returned to the ocean.
This type of orange lobster is extremely rare, with only one found among every thirty million lobsters on average. Before Independence Day on July 4th, this lobster, later named Clementine, arrived at the Southampton Stop and Shop along with a batch of common brown lobsters, immediately becoming a star in this chain supermarket.
John Di Leonardo, President and Executive Director of the animal rights group “Humane Long Island” (HLI), stated in a press release that initially, the store contacted the Long Island Aquarium hoping to shelter it, but the aquarium declined.
At this point, the Southampton Animal Shelter intervened and reported Clementine’s situation to HLI. After contacting the supermarket, the organization quickly facilitated Clementine’s release. This orange lobster was released back into the ocean on Tuesday, August 27th.
“We specially prepared a large seawater tank for it to aid in its recovery,” Di Leonardo pointed out at a press conference on Wednesday. “Once brought to the seaside, it immediately started foraging.”
“It was already ready to go once it caught sight of the ocean,” he said. “Lobsters are not only sensitive but intelligent creatures; they can migrate over 100 miles each year.”
Di Leonardo is a passionate advocate for animal rights, stating that lobsters like Clementine should be able to live freely.
“They long to live freely in nature,” he said. “They do not wish to be served on the dining table or be confined in cramped aquariums.”
According to HLI’s report, in places like Reggio Emilia in Switzerland, Norway, New Zealand, and Italy, it is actually illegal to boil lobsters alive when they are still conscious.
This is not the first time that this rare orange lobster almost ended up as a meal on the dining table.
In early July, an orange lobster was sent to a Red Lobster restaurant in Denver, Colorado. Later, a dishwasher discovered it, saving this lobster, nicknamed “Crush,” from becoming a meal.