Rare Orange Lobster Saved After Grocery Store Discovery

A rare orange lobster is back home in the ocean after nearly becoming someone's dinner after its discovery at a New York grocery store.

It all started last month when workers at a Stop & Shop in Southampton, New York found an orange lobster, believed to have a one-in-30 million chance of appearing in the wild. It was given the name Clementine and received a second chance at life after store employees reached out to the Long Island Aquarium in hopes of her having a life there. 

According to NBC News, the aquarium didn't accept the lobster. This prompted animal advocacy group Humane Long Island to spring into action. 

"We got ourselves a big saltwater tank to rehab her in, we brought her down to the ocean, and she immediately began foraging," Humane Long Island president and executive director John Di Leonardo recounted to NBC News. "She was ready to go as soon as she saw the ocean."

On Aug. 27, Clementine was returned to the sea with the help of Humane Long Island. "They all want to live natural lives in the wild," Di Leonardo explained. "They don’t want to boil in someone’s pot or stay in a cramped aquarium."

Another orange lobster discovered earlier this year also escaped consumption. A Red Lobster worker in Colorado found the crustacean, later named Crush. It now lives at the Downtown Aquarium in Denver. 

Related: Colorado Red Lobster Restaurant Discovers Rare Orange Lobster

If you spot an off-color lobster in the wild, it's probably best to admire the rare beauty from afar.