When the lobster—later given the name Clementine—arrived at a Long Island, New York, supermarket in early July, it stood out from a display of conventional brown lobsters right away.
According to animal protection group Humane Long Island, only one in 30 million lobsters are naturally orange, so the unusual creature became somewhat of a draw in the seafood department.
The owner of the store tried to get an aquarium to take Clementine in, but the aquarium said no.
At that point, Humane Long Island was contacted by Southampton Animal Shelter to ensure the lobster’s safe release.
Tuesday, the animal welfare group worked with the retailer to get Clementine back in the water.
Humane Long Island executive director John Di Leonardo told News that after getting a large saltwater tank for her rehabilitation, they took her down to the ocean, where she started foraging right away.
When alive, lobsters can have a range of colors, the most frequent being a deep blue or mottled brown. When cooked, they typically have a vivid red or orange color.
The pigment known as astaxanthin, which is kept in their epidermis beneath their hard shell, is what causes their color shifts.
