Heavy rainfall in Amsterdam last week gave locals more than just another soaking wet weekend. Shocked locals took to social media to post photos of lobsters they had come upon while cycling through town.
Amsterdammers were more than a little bemused over these sudden and unusual sightings, which sparked immediate speculation. Where had the lobsters come from? Did they fall out of the sky? Is it a plague?
A Dutch ecologist revealed they had simply ‘crawled out’ of Amsterdam canals. Who would have thought the murky canal water would make a good home for anyone beyond those sleeping on a house boat?
According to the ecologist, it’s apparently ‘normal’ for young lobsters to migrate with the onset of heavy rain, making their way safely across dry land without getting, erm, dry. Well they couldn’t have picked a better city as a good winter’s day in Amsterdam is arguably a summer’s day.
How they got into the canals in the first place is anyone’s guess. But it’s thought that someone had likely bought home an aquarium full of lobsters while abroad some twenty years back. Over the years the crustaceans found their sweet freedom and way into greater water. Amsterdam being riddled with canals, they needn’t look far. It’s hard to know exactly how many lobsters have made Amsterdam their home. They could be in the hundreds of thousands or even millions!
It’s good to know Amsterdam is a haven for more than the community of expatriates swapping Fish and Chips for pickled Herring and watching episodes of Goede Tijd Slechte Tijd over EastEnders. At least they don’t have to worry about health insurances and registration like the rest of us!
So are river lobsters to become a local Dutch delicacy? Doubtful. They are a far cry from taking the place of the mighty Herring. But the next time someone invites you over for a slap up meal and lobster’s on the menu, you’d be right to wonder if you’re the only one having a ‘free meal’ that night.