A 1-in-30-million crustacean was returned to sea by a Long Island animal advocacy group.
When a shipment of lobsters arrived at a New York grocery store last month, workers noticed an unusual sight: an orange lobster among the typical brown ones.
The Stop & Shop in Southampton, Long Island, struck lobster gold, as only 1 in 30 million lobsters is naturally orange. The rare crustacean, named Clementine, quickly became the store’s star. The store initially reached out to the Long Island Aquarium, but when the aquarium declined, John Di Leonardo, president and executive director of the animal advocacy group Humane Long Island, stepped in.
The Southampton Animal Shelter alerted Humane Long Island about Clementine. After contacting the grocery store, the group secured Clementine’s release, and the lobster was returned to the sea on Tuesday.
“We set up a large saltwater tank for her rehabilitation, took her to the ocean, and she immediately started foraging,” Di Leonardo told NBC News. “She was ready to go as soon as she saw the ocean.”
Di Leonardo, a dedicated animal rights advocate, emphasized that lobsters like Clementine deserve to live freely. “They all want to live natural lives in the wild,” he said. “They don’t want to be boiled in someone’s pot or kept in a cramped aquarium.”
Humane Long Island has a history of rescuing animals from precarious situations, including a wallaby exploited for photos on Coney Island and a South American ostrich held by an unlicensed exhibitor. The organization has also worked to shut down several slaughterhouses.
“We rescued over 200 animals this year,” Di Leonardo noted, “but saving 200 animals is as simple as not eating them.” He encouraged people to consider a vegan lifestyle. “It’s never been easier to keep animals off your plate. Now you can enjoy vegan lobster rolls and crabless patties.”
Another orange lobster named Crush was also rescued this year after being discovered by a Red Lobster dishwasher.