Upon finding that one of the lobsters received in a delivery was a distinctive bright orange colour, employees at a Red Lobster restaurant in Hollywood, Florida went on a mission to rescue the unique crustacean.
Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach answered the call and has welcomed the lobster to her new home.
The Red Lobster and Ripley’s Aquarium teams affectionately named the orange lobster Cheddar in a nod to the restaurant’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
Orange lobsters like Cheddar are extremely rare – one-in-30 million – because their bright, unusual colouring makes them very attractive to predators.
“Sometimes ordinary miracles happen, and Cheddar is one of them,” said Mario Roque, a manager at Red Lobster who led the rescue of Cheddar. “A group of incredible people helped us make this possible. We are so honoured to have been able to save Cheddar and find her a good home.”
“We are incredibly proud of Mario and the team for recognising what a special and rare creature Cheddar is and for working relentlessly to find someone to rescue her,” said Nicole Bott, Senior Director, Communications at Red Lobster. “It is an honour 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.”
Cheddar joins Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach as it celebrates 25 years of welcoming guests. It is also Ripley’s hub for scientific research.
The company’s new Marine Science Research Centre, where Cheddar is now acclimating, made waves earlier this year by producing the world’s first successful birth by artificial insemination of a sand tiger shark.
