A couple of days ago, a supermarket in Southampton, New York, had something truly special to brag about.
Believe it or not, a one-in-thirty-million orange lobster ended up in the seafood section of Stop & Shop, nestled in the tank.
This extremely rare lobster was put up for sale, anxiously awaiting a buyer who might value her rarity for a gourmet meal.
This magnificent but very rare crustacean came to South Hampton’s supermarket as a part of a shipment along with an extensive batch of regular brown lobsters.
Apparently, the fishermen who caught her did not recognize her rarity and thus shipped it to the store instead of releasing it back into the ocean.
Thankfully, at Stop & Shop, this orange lobster was treated like a celebrity, nicknamed Clementine, and even fed shrimp by the store staff.
The store staff, recognizing the importance of preserving the lobster’s life, contacted the Long Island Aquarium to donate Clementine.
Unfortunately, the aquarium rejected their offer, forcing them to find another solution.
Thankfully, the news about the rare orange lobster reached the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, which then informed Humane Long Island – the leading animal advocacy organization on Long Island.
Eager to help, they immediately devised a ‘Clementine rescue plan.’
First, they consulted their local vet, who advised moving Clementine to a cold saltwater tank to safely acclimate her to the sea.
Then, when it was time, they released her into the waters of the Long Island Sound, watching as Clementine disappeared into the great blue ocean.
And just like that, Clementine received her well-deserved happy ending! Here’s the video they posted on their Facebook page if you wish to see how they did it:
John Di Leonardo, anthrozoologist and executive director of Humane Long Island, spoke about the importance of preserving lobsters’ lives and nurturing sympathy not only for special and rare crustaceans but for the normal-looking ones as well.
On their official Facebook page, he wrote:
“Lobsters are sensitive, intelligent animals who can travel as far as 100 miles or more each year. Like all aquatic animals, lobsters will pain and suffer when taken from their ocean homes to be eaten or confined to cramped aquariums.”
Additionally, he stated:
“Humane Long Island urges everyone to celebrate Clementine’s successful journey back to the wild by respecting all lobsters and not eating them, because no compassionate person should boil an animal alive.”
I’m immensely happy that Clementine found her way back to the ocean, and I sincerely hope other lobsters experience the same fortune.