Rare Orange Lobster Mama Welcomes 100 Tiny, Colorful Newborns
Rare Orange Lobster Mama Welcomes 100 Tiny, Colorful Newborns
At the University of New England (UNE) in Maine, there’s a new wave of tiny residents making a splash—baby lobsters! And not just any lobsters. We’re talking about the offspring of Peaches, a rare, orange-hued lobster who’s become quite the campus celebrity.
Orange Lobster Peaches isn’t just your run-of-the-mill lobster.
She’s a one-in-30-million rarity, sporting a vibrant orange shell that makes her stand out in a sea of brown and blue. Last year, she was brought to UNE, and now, she’s the proud mom of 100 baby lobsters. Yes, 100! And guess what? Some of these little guys share their mom’s unusual coloring.
The university is abuzz with excitement as students and faculty study Peaches and her pint-sized progeny. The big question they’re trying to answer: What’s behind this funky orange lobster coloration? Is it genetics, diet, or just some cosmic lobster lottery?
But Peaches isn’t the only lobster mama at UNE. Norma, a more traditionally colored lobster, also recently became a mom, hatching 40 babies of her own. And if that’s not enough, there’s another orange lobster named Pineapple, who’s currently expecting.
Her babies are due to hatch in the spring, so stay tuned for even more tiny claws running around.
UNE’s Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center is now home to these 140 baby lobsters, each no bigger than a thumbtack. The little critters are already busy molting and growing, much to the delight of the researchers.
One of those researchers, Ruby Motulsky, a marine sciences undergrad, is diving deep into this lobster mystery. Ruby, with a keen eye and a $5,000 research grant, is on a mission to figure out how many of Peaches’ babies will keep that orange flair.
It’s part of a larger effort led by Professor Markus Frederich to crack the code on why some lobsters look like they’ve been dipped in paint.
UNE is no stranger to rare lobsters. Over the years, the university has become a lobster haven, housing a colorful collection that would make any seafood lover’s jaw drop—blue, yellow, split-colored, purple, and more.
Each one rarer than the last.
So, what’s next for these orange lobster babies? Only time, and a lot of research will tell.
But one thing’s for sure—UNE is the place to be if you’re a lobster with a flair for the different.
