Robert Wagner, a lobster fisherman with four decades of experience, recently made a unique discovery in the waters near Blue Rocks, Nova Scotia. He found a lobster that was half-blue and half-orange, split right down the middle from head to tail. Wagner was amazed by this rare find, describing it as something he had never seen in his entire career.
Impressed by the lobster’s distinct appearance, Wagner named it Oscar and decided to share this extraordinary creature with others. With the help of his daughter, he reached out to Dalhousie University to see if they would be interested in taking in Oscar.
Nadia Stewart from Dalhousie’s Beaty Centre for Marine Biodiversity expressed gratitude for the opportunity to care for Oscar. She highlighted the importance of protecting such unique lobsters from predators due to their standout colors. Stewart explained that Oscar’s color mutation occurs in approximately one out of every 50 million lobsters, making him a rare find.
After a month of caring for Oscar, Wagner and his family transported him to his new home in Halifax with the necessary permits. Stewart mentioned that Oscar has adapted well to his new surroundings and even surprised the staff by shedding his shell recently. The old blue-orange shell is now on display, and Oscar is taking a break to recover before returning to the public eye once his new shell hardens, which typically takes 14 to 30 days.
Stewart added that Oscar’s unique coloration is genetic, so his new shell will also display the striking blue and orange hues. Wagner expressed his satisfaction with the decision to donate Oscar, stating that he is grateful that Oscar is now in good hands and wished him a happy life.