Lobsters are marine creatures with natural defenses. While not inherently aggressive towards humans, they possess physical attributes that can cause injury if threatened or handled improperly. Understanding these defensive capabilities helps prevent unwanted encounters and ensure safety.
Lobster’s Defensive Structures
A lobster’s primary defense is its robust exoskeleton, which acts as protective armor. Beyond this, lobsters are equipped with powerful claws, known as chelipeds, serving as their main tools for defense and offense.
One claw is typically larger and blunter, the crushing claw, designed to break open prey shells. The other is a more slender, sharper pincer or cutter claw, used for tearing and manipulating food. Larger lobsters can exert up to 100 pounds per square inch with their crushing claw. While claws are the most obvious threat, sharp edges of their carapace or tail spines can also inflict minor cuts or scrapes.
When Lobsters Might Injure You
Lobsters generally exhibit defensive behavior rather than aggression towards humans, reacting when they perceive a threat or are provoked. Injuries most commonly occur during direct handling by individuals like fishermen, divers, or commercial handlers. Accidental encounters, such as stepping on a lobster or reaching into a crevice, can also lead to injury.
Such interactions can result in painful pinches, bruises, or cuts from their powerful claws. While most lobster injuries are minor, a pinch from a very large lobster can cause significant harm, including breaking a finger. Open wounds in a marine environment carry a risk of bacterial infection.
Safe Handling and Prevention
Preventing injury involves specific handling techniques and appropriate protective gear. If a lobster’s claws are banded, leave these bands in place; they prevent injury to both the lobster and handlers. When handling a live lobster, grasp the carapace (the hard shell behind its head), allowing its claws to hang freely.
Avoid touching the underside of the tail, as sharp edges can cause cuts if the lobster flips its tail. Wearing thick, cut-resistant gloves made from materials like Dyneema, Kevlar, or with a nitrile coating provides significant protection against pinches and scrapes. Keeping lobsters in a cold environment, such as a refrigerator, makes them more sluggish and easier to manage, reducing their responsiveness and likelihood of pinching.
Responding to a Lobster Injury
For minor injuries from a lobster, such as a pinch or scrape, prompt first aid is beneficial. Clean the wound thoroughly with soap and fresh water to remove marine bacteria or debris. If bleeding, apply direct pressure to control it.
After cleaning, monitor the injury for signs of infection, including increasing redness, swelling, unusual warmth, or discharge. While lobster pinches are not venomous, marine environments can harbor bacteria like Vibrio. For deep punctures, persistent bleeding, or developing signs of infection, seek medical attention for proper treatment and to prevent complications.