Photo: Canva
Have you ever heard of an orange lobster? Me neither. That's because it is extremely rare, and a very lucky orange lobster escaped becoming dinner at a Red Lobster restaurant in Hollywood, Florida, after it was discovered in a shipment to the restaurant. The lucky lobster even now has a forever home at an aquarium.
Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was contacted by managers at a Red Lobster restaurant in Hollywood, Florida after they discovered the vibrant orange lobster in a shipment.
According to experts, the lobster's orange coloring is apparently from a rare mutation that occurs in only about 1 out of 30 million lobsters.
The lobster was appropriately named "Cheddar" in honor of Red Lobster's signature cheddar bay biscuits.
Manager Mario Roque of the Red Lobster location said, "Sometimes ordinary miracles happen, and Cheddar is one of them. A group of incredible people helped us make this possible. We are so honored to have been able to save Cheddar and find her a good home."
Senior director of communications at Red Lobster, Nicole Bott, said Cheddar will soon be on display at her new forever home in the Myrtle Beach aquarium.
Bott added, "We are incredibly proud of Mario and the team for recognizing what a special and rare creature Cheddar is and for working relentlessly to find someone to rescue her. It is an honor to be able to share the story of Cheddar and provide her a new home where she can be enjoyed by many for years to come, all from the safety of her tank."