Say hello to Pinchy the crayfish.
Since late June it has felt like everything is pretty doom and gloom. While times have been challenging, there have been some remarkable stories of resilience that give us hope. Today we learnt about Pinchy, the crayfish who might just be the world’s luckiest freshwater crustacean.
Pinchy’s fate was most likely to end up on someone’s dinner plate but after a kind-hearted waste removal worker spotted him in a dumpster, he was rescued and given a second chance at life.
The story goes something like this — Matt, a Sydney-based waste removal worker, and his partner Donna found a styrofoam box next to a dumpster in Pyrmont. When Matt took the lid of this box, he was surprised to find a live crayfish inside. Most likely meant to end up gracing someone’s dinner table, the poor guy was accidentally thrown away and ended up alone and forsaken in that styrofoam box. Up until, a thoughtful Samaritan showed up.
After promptly getting in touch with SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Centre, the crayfish was brought back to the aquarium and nursed back to health after some tender loving care, and now is affectionally christened Pinchy, the crayfish.
Donna, who joined her partner on his morning waste removal rounds, said of the rescue, “It was a pretty uneventful morning until we got to Pyrmont. Matt was separating Styrofoam boxes and spotted something different about one of them, then we realised there was a creature inside.”
“We thought it was a dead crayfish but then it started to slowly move and we realised it was alive! We searched online for some advice and came across the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Animal Rescue Centre, we called them and to our relief, they offered to take the crayfish into their care.”
Talk about a life-affirming tale.
Daniel Sokolnikoff, Displays Supervisor at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium calls Pinchy ‘one lucky crayfish.’
“We received a very surprising call, advising us that a crayfish has been abandoned in Pyrmont. After confirming that our permits allowed us to attend to this species, discovered under these circumstances, it was the best chance at life for Pinchy and we took him into our care.”
“I’m really pleased that Matt and Donna contacted us, especially after they told us that someone suggested throwing Pinchy in the ocean! This type of cray is called a marron and is a freshwater species, it wouldn’t have survived in the ocean,” he added.
You’ll be happy to know that Pinchy the crayfish is now living his best life at the SEA LIFE Aquarium. Check out this video of him living the good life in his new home.
Even as we navigate through these tough times, this story is a timely reminder that there is always hope and things can turn around when we least expect it.
If you happen to chance upon any injured or sick marine animals, you can call the Sea Life Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Centre on 0402 783 455.