NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Spotting an orange lobster is a rarity, with the crustaceans being outnumbered by 30 million when compared to their red-shelled friends. That's why when three of them showed up in orders at two Tri-State ShopRites—one in Bay Shore, Long Island and the other in Wallingford, Connecticut—workers knew they had to be saved.
Glenn Cachia, manager at the Long Island ShopRite, told 1010 WINS that he's "been in the seafood department for over 30 years, and it is the first time I have ever seen one." He found the lobster, named "Peaches," in a random delivery of 300 pounds of lobsters.
"Peaches" was brought into the care of Humane Long Island, alongside "Sebastian" and "Clawdia," both of which were found at the Connecticut store. Anthrozoologist and executive director of the animal welfare organization John Di Leonardo was excited to release the crustaceans back to the ocean, giving them a second chance in the wild (but after putting them through rehabilitation and a health assessment).
"Really, they're 1-in-100-million, because we eat 100 million lobsters every single year here in the United States, but these guys are special," Di Leonardo said. "Not just because they're orange, but because they're going to be released to the wild."
Di Leonardo and Humane Long Island encourage U.S. residents to go vegan to preserve the lives of animals, but also warn against buying lobsters from grocery stores to "free them."
"We do want to discourage people from just buying lobsters and throwing them in the ocean, it's not going to survive," Di Leonardo said. "You have to acclimate them over an extended period of time."
Now, Humane Long Island is asking the public for help locate more members of the orange lobsters' family.
"The genetic anomaly that results in a striking orange complexion is ... hereditary, so when one is spotted in a local store, other members of their family often appear at other locations," Di Leonardo said.