The Tasmanian King Crab was snapped up alongside two others for £3,000 by a SeaLife worker during a trip to Australia.04 more images after the break...
THIS giant crab has escaped the cook pot to be showcased at an aquarium.
The one pictured was named Claude and is 15in wide while weighing 15lbs.
He will grow to 30lbs and could produce up to 20lbs worth of meat — or 325 crabsticks.
He and the other crustaceans — a delicacy Down Under — are being quarantined before going on display.
One will go to Weymouth, another to Birmingham, while a third will be sent to Berlin, Germany.
Rob Hicks, SeaLife’s head marine biologist, said: “They are such impressive creatures we thought that it was worth the cost and effort of flying them half-way round the world to so they can flourish in an aquarium display.
“They had a stopover in Hong Kong and arrived with us a week ago.
“It took them a few days to get over the jet-lag but now they’re feeding happily and don’t seem any the worse for their trip.”
Jemma Battrick, from Weymouth Sea Life, said: “When I found out we were getting the crabs in I was really excited.
“We already have a tank here for them so it will be easy to move them in, and they will go on display straight away.
“The crabs don’t eat very much despite being one of the largest species, and they will feed on shrimp, prawns, and squid when they are here.
“We want to increase their numbers but in Australia people eat them and I think visitors to the Sea Life will be shocked when they find that out because they look so magnificent.” Via — Link
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