George (lobster) facts for kids
| Breed | American lobster |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1869 |
| Known for | Old age |
| Weight | 20 lb (9.1 kg) |
Meet George, a very old and famous American lobster. He was born around 1869. For a short time, he lived at the City Crab and Seafood restaurant in New York City. George was caught in December 2008. He was then set free back into the ocean in January 2009. George weighed about 9 kilograms (20 pounds). Experts believed he was around 140 years old when he was released.
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George's Journey: From Ocean to Restaurant
George was caught near Newfoundland in December 2008. He was then sold to the City Crab and Seafood restaurant. This restaurant is located on Park Avenue South in New York City. George arrived there on New Year's Eve.
Why George Was Special
The restaurant manager, Keith Valenti, said they never planned to sell George. Instead, George was meant to attract attention to the restaurant. He became a sort of mascot. Valenti explained that buying a big lobster and taking pictures with kids worked very well. A young customer at the restaurant even gave George his name. George was treated like a pet and lived in the restaurant's tank for about ten days.
George's Freedom: Back to the Ocean
Two customers told an animal rights group called PETA about George. PETA then asked the restaurant to set George free. At first, the restaurant manager was not sure. But later, he decided it was the right thing to do. He called it a "no brainer" to release George.
The Trip to Freedom
George was taken from the restaurant to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. There, an expert helped him get ready to go back to the wild. After that, George was driven to Maine. On January 10, PETA members released him into the ocean. This special area was chosen because lobster fishing is not allowed there. George traveled safely in a cooler filled with seaweed and wet newspaper. Larry Fleming, a vegetarian restaurateur from Maine, helped with the trip. He believed George would be very happy back in the ocean.
A Message of Kindness
Ingrid Newkirk from PETA shared a message. She praised the City Crab and Seafood restaurant for their kind choice. She hoped George's story would show that these amazing animals deserve to live freely. They should not be kept in small tanks or cooked.
How Old Was George?
George weighed about 9 kilograms (20 pounds). People thought he was around 140 years old. This means he was likely born in 1869.
Estimating a Lobster's Age
It can be hard to know exactly how old a lobster is. But scientists can guess by looking at how often they molt. Molting is when a lobster sheds its old shell to grow a new, bigger one. Their size increases after each molt. Some scientists think lobsters usually don't live much longer than 100 years. However, the restaurant manager, Valenti, said it's quite common for them to live longer. PETA did not say how they figured out George's age. But Valenti explained that a lobster's age can be guessed by its weight. He said that lobsters gain about 0.45 kilograms (1 pound) every seven to ten years. He also mentioned that George was the biggest lobster he had seen in 12 years.
See also
- List of long-living organisms
