In his four-decade career as a lobster fisherman, Robert Wagner encountered a unique lobster that was half blue and half orange, divided down the middle from head to tail. This extraordinary find, named Oscar by Wagner, was discovered in a trap near Blue Rocks on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.
After deciding to share Oscar with others, Wagner’s daughter suggested reaching out to Dalhousie University. The university’s Beaty Centre for Marine Biodiversity expressed gratitude for the opportunity to house Oscar, as lobsters with standout colors like his often fall prey quickly in the wild.
Nadia Stewart, from Dalhousie University, explained that lobsters like Oscar, with a mutation causing two different sets of genetic information, are extremely rare, occurring approximately once in every 50 million lobsters. She mentioned that albino lobsters, found in about one out of 100 million lobsters, are even rarer.
Wagner and his family cared for Oscar for a month before transporting him to Dalhousie University in Halifax. Oscar has since adapted to his new environment, recently shedding his shell, surprising the staff. The old blue-orange shell has been put on display, and Oscar is taking time off to recover before returning to public view once his new shell hardens, which is expected to take 14 to 30 days.
Since Oscar’s unique coloring is genetic, his new shell will also display the distinctive blue and orange hues. Wagner expressed gratitude for the opportunity to donate Oscar, hoping that the lobster will lead a good life in his new home.
REWRITE_BLOCKED: The content contains specific details and quotes that cannot be rewritten without changing the meaning and accuracy of the information.