Fishing crew’s 1-in-30 million lobster gets permanent home at the University of New England
The lobster was caught in Casco Bay by Capt. Gregg Turner. The odds of catching an orange lobster are about one-in-30-million. By comparison, Blue lobsters are considered to be a one-in-two-million finds, and split-colored lobsters are a one-in-50-million catch.
Fishing crew finds one-in-30 million catch off Maine
A brightly colored orange lobster found off the coast of Maine is now part of collection of multicolored crustaceous that call the University of New England home.
SCARBOROUGH, Maine – A brightly colored orange lobster found off the coast of Maine is now part of a collection of multicolored crustaceans that call the University of New England home.
According to the university, the one-in-30 million catch was found Friday by Captain Gregg Turner and his crew in Casco Bay, Maine.
Most lobsters are known to be a mottled brown color, but according to the Smithsonian Institution’s Ocean Initiative, pigments can migrate into the shell, where proteins cause color changes.
Experts with the Marine Science Center believe the lobster’s coloration is due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors that scientists don’t completely understand.
"Rare lobsters, like this brilliant orange one caught by Turner’s Lobsters, are excellent ambassadors for education because they spark so much curiosity. Sharing these amazing animals with our students and visitors is a special opportunity that wouldn’t be possible without the Maine lobstering community all along the coast," Lindsay Forrette, a lab coordinator and chemical hygiene officer at UNE’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs, said in a statement.
FATHER, SON CATCH RARE BLUE LOBSTER OFF THE COAST OF MAINE
![Orange lobster]()
Image 1 of 3UNE's Marine Science Center is now home to a rare orange lobster that was caught on Friday off the coast of Scarborough, Maine. (University of New England)
![Orange lobster]()
Image 2 of 3UNE's Marine Science Center is now home to a rare orange lobster that was caught on Friday off the coast of Scarborough, Maine. (University of New England)
![Orange lobster]()
Image 3 of 3UNE's Marine Science Center is now home to a rare orange lobster that was caught on Friday off the coast of Scarborough, Maine. (University of New England)
According to crew members, the captain said he has only seen two of the brightly colored creatures during his career.
In addition to the bright orange color, the lobster only has one claw, which is common in the wild.
Forrette said the crustacean likely lost her claw in an altercation with another lobster or fish, but it will mean a unique opportunity for students to learn about limb rejuvenation.
"We plan to document the regrowth of this lobster’s claw in real time, something we’ve only done once before with Banana, our female yellow lobster," Forrette stated.
SHE’S PERHAPS THE OLDEST LOBSTERWOMAN IN THE WORLD: MEET 102-YEAR-OLD VIRGINIA OLIVER
While the university didn’t state how old they believe the animal to be, restaurant-sized creatures are around 5–7 years old, and if not caught by boaters, lobsters are thought to live up to about 100 years.
The next step for this lobster is getting acquainted to her tank and receiving a name.
In 2019 a blue lobster, who was later nicknamed Blueberry, was donated to the university and in 2021, a yellow lobster named Banana joined the collection.
Meet the 102-year-old "Lobster Lady" still going strong
Known worldwide as the