Lobster lives large, dies in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium mourned the March 2 death of their newest acquisition, a… The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium mourned the March 2 death of their newest acquisition, a 22-pound lobster named Bubba.

Purchased from Robert Wholey ‘ Co. earlier this week, Bubba became the focus of national attention during his short time at the zoo, according to Rachel Capp. Capp, the manager of publicity and media relations for Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, added that the lobster was never put on display at the aquarium.

“When he came to us, he seemed somewhat lethargic and wouldn’t eat,” she said. “We just didn’t want to put him under any more stress than he already was.”

The Guinness Book of World Records’ Web site reports that the heaviest marine crustacean, found in Nova Scotia, Canada, in February 1977, weighed in at 44 pounds, 6 ounces — twice the size of Bubba.

Capp said Bubba was considered to be abnormally large.

Bubba’s estimated age also caught experts’ attention. Originally thought to be more than 100 years old, Bubba was ultimately deemed to be between 25 and 30 years old, according to Capp. She added that a lobster could live to be more than 100 years old, though predators kill many lobsters before they can reach such an age.

Caught by a Nantucket, Mass., fisherman, Bubba was sold to Robert Wholey ‘ Co., late in the week before his death. Sara Snatchko, a marketing representative from the company, said the fish market intended to sell him. She said the company promoted Bubba’s girth, with the thought that people would want to see him before he was killed. She added that the company did not purchase Bubba to display him, but to sell him as food.

“We buy them, put him in the tank. He dies and someone eats him. That’s what we do,” she continued.

Christened Bubba by the store manager during a television interview, the lobster quickly became the focus of several animal rights groups. Capp said the zoo received several calls from members of the community who were concerned about Bubba’s well-being, while Snatchko mentioned receiving a letter from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

“We had equal offers from people to eat him as to save him,” Snatchko added. “The people who wanted to eat him could always eat a smaller lobster, but the animal rights activists didn’t seem as concerned about the smaller ones. So we made a compromise.”

Wholey’s contacted the zoo and arranged for it to purchase the lobster. Capp said several water specialists from the aquarium spoke with Bubba’s caregivers at the fish market to determine the type of environment in which the lobster had been living. To avoid causing more stress for Bubba, they wanted to maintain the same saline concentration and water temperature.

Before Bubba’s death, the zoo decided to do what it deemed to be best for the lobster and made arrangements to sell him to Ripley’s Aquarium, an American Zoo and Aquarium Association accredited aquarium, Capp said.

While many came to visit Bubba in his final days, Snatchko said he was very safe in both of his final homes.

“No one came and tried to steal him or anything,” she said. “I guess [lobsters] just don’t live well in captivity.”