The Conversation (0)
Ellie Abraham
Nov 21, 2023
Game of tones: Orange lobster cheats death at Red Lobster restaurant
Ripley's Aquarium
A super rare intersex lobster named Bowie has become an unexpected viral sensation on TikTok and people can’t get enough.
Bowie was discovered by Maine lobster fisherman Jacob Knowles, who shared the discovery of Bowie with his 2.6 million followers, racking up 6.3 million views on the video.
The lobster is half-blue and half-brown, with two-tone lobsters a 1-in-50 million find, according to the University of Maine’s Lobster Institute. In addition, it is also half-male and half-female. Knowles shared the discovery in a viral TikTok filmed on his fishing boat.
In the clip, he explained: “This is the coolest lobster I’ve ever seen. Not only is it split 50/50 right down its back – blue and normal – but if you look underneath, it’s actually half male half female.
“The blue side is a male, the normal side is a female, split 50/50 perfectly.”
Knowles explained that the lobster was caught by a friend who gave it to him to show TikTok the incredibly rare find.
@jacob__knowles Craziest lobster ever! What do you want to do with it? Let me know in the comments! #maine #lobster #fishing #ocean #interesting #commercialfishing #fy #LobsterTok #educate #didyouknow #coolcatch #rare #rarefind
After asking viewers what to do with the lobster, it was determined that Knowles would keep it as a pet as opposed to releasing it back into the wild where another fisherman might sell it, as it is technically “legal” to fish it.
A request for name suggestions was made, and one user won unanimously, suggesting: “Name it Bowie after David Bowie. He had a blue eye and (was) androgynous.”
@jacob__knowles Replying to @GrackleTree We need help naming it! Most liked name wins! As long as it’s tik tok appropriate!! 😂 #maine #lobster #fishing #ocean #interesting #commercialfishing #fy #LobsterTok #educate #didyouknow #coolcatch #rare #rarefind #seafood #crazy #oneinamillion
Knowles explained that he was going to construct a large cage that he would place in the ocean so the lobster could remain in its habitat while still being protected.
The goal is to see if Bowie can produce eggs on the female side of its body without the help of another lobster since it has both reproductive organs.
Judging by the TikTok comments Bowie appears to have earned a lot of fans.
“We need a 24-hour live feed of the lobster,” one person said.
Another commented: “I'm so damn invested in the saga of Bowie the Lobster.”
Someone else suggested: “You should get an underwater camera you can have in the cage with Bowie!!”
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