Rare Calico Lobster Rescued From Manassas Restaurant Dies At Museum

VIRGINIA ? Freckles, a rare calico lobster at the Virginia Living Museum which had a 1 in 30 million mutation, died this week. Freckles was discovered at a Manassas Red Lobster restaurant and donated to the museum in April 2021.

Freckles died overnight on Sunday after he failed to molt and shed his exoskeleton, the museum said on Facebook. The molting process can be fatal for older animals like Freckles, as it requires lots of energy.

"As an ambassador for his species, Freckles was quite rare due to his calico pattern, which was due to a problem with its DNA coding," the Virginia Living Museum wrote. "He truly was a 1 in 30 million lobster."

Freckles was discovered by Red Lobster crew members in Manassas in April 2021. Employees at the restaurant recognized how unique the lobster was and reached out to the Virginia Living Museum.

Read more: Rare Calico Lobster Rescued From Manassas Seafood Restaurant

"Calico-colored lobsters like Freckles are so rare, it was almost unbelievable that we received one," a Red Lobster spokesperson told Patch in 2021. "We are so proud of our employees for recognizing how special Freckles is, and for reaching out so we could make arrangements for rescue."

Originally, Red Lobster employees kept Freckles in the restaurant's live tank in the lobby until museum staff came to collect him.

Chris Crippen, the Virginia Living Museum's senior director of animal welfare and conservation, was glad to drive from Newport News to Manassas to pick up Freckles.

"We take great pride in our conservation efforts and strive to create strong partnerships in our community," Crippen said last year after bringing Freckles to his new home. "We see this as an opportunity to not only educate the public about the rare color scheme of this particular animal but also about sustainable seafood practices and the importance of conservation efforts of the American lobster fishery."

The museum said calico lobster like Freckles rarely survive in the wild, as their bright colors make them more susceptible to predators.

The Virginia Living Museum is a non-profit organization that uses natural living exhibits to educate the public about conservation efforts and native habitats. The museum staff takes care of animals that would not be able to survive on their own in the wild. More information about the museum, their programs, and their exhibits is available on their website.