Red Lobster Just Rescued A Rare 1-In-30 Million Crustacean
Fans of the seafood restaurant chain now have another noteworthy point to add to Red Lobster's fascinating fact list. In a fantastic occurrence, the company's establishment in Hot Springs, Arkansas, found an unexpected visitor among its usual scarlet-hued lobster shipment — an orange lobster. According to a report by KATV, the shipment came all the way from Maine, and the company couldn't be more thrilled about the discovery — orange lobsters are quite rare.
Several marine experts, including the University of New England's Professor of Marine Science Markus Frederich (via CNN), agree that the odds of encountering one in the wild are 30 million to one due to yearly disclosures of "lobster landings and anecdotal reports." While some, such as New England Aquarium's Senior Aquarist Bill Murphy (who talked to The Takeout), argue that the chances are closer to 10 million instead of 30, it's still an awesome uncovering.
Nevertheless, this uncommonly colored lobster will not be served to seafood lovers. As Red Lobster stated in an email to Daily Meal, the crustacean, fondly named "Scarlett" in honor of the worker who came across her, has found a residence at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which is a good thing — similar reports state that orange lobsters don't typically endure long in the ocean. This is because their vivid pigment attracts hungry seafaring carnivores.
This isn't a first for Red Lobster
Oddly enough, this isn't Red Lobster's first encounter with a rare orange lobster. According to a 2022 press release, the restaurant chain's Hollywood, Florida, location also experienced a similar event.
That location named its lobster "Cheddar" — a tribute to the company's famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits. While finding two different orange lobsters within two years is impressive enough, these circumstances are spectacular because both crustaceans were given to the same aquarium. Scarlett and Cheddar now have each other as friendly companions, and Ripley's Aquarium is more than happy to keep the world posted on their progress with its TikTok feed.
@ripleysaquariums Say "shell-o" to Scarlett, our new, one-in-30-million, orange lobster! Like her new neighbor Cheddar, Scarlett comes to us from @Red Lobster. Hailing from Hot Springs, Arkansas, Scarlett is named after the Red Lobster employee who discovered her, Skarlett! In Skarlett's 28 years of working at the restaurant, this is the first orange lobster she's ever seen! Scarlett will soon be joining Cheddar, who recently had her first molt since being in her new home at Ripley's—revealing an even brighter orange shell! Join us in shell-ebrating Scarlett's arrival next time you visit Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach! #RedLobster #orangelobster #rarelobster #lobster #aquarium #myrtlebeach #ripleysaquariums #ripleysaquarium #ripleysaquariummyrtlebeach
As Red Lobster Manager Mario Roque, who helped place the first lobster in the aquarium's care, stated in the 2022 press release, "Sometimes ordinary miracles happen, and Cheddar is one of them." And now, Scarlett can be a part of that as well.