Invasion of the Giant Shrimp!
The headline sounds like that of a cheesy creature feature out of old Hollywood. However, the photo and story are both chillingly true. The Giant Tiger Shrimp has very plainly invaded the waters of the Gulf of Mexico up the eastern seaboard.
Native to the Indian Ocean and parts of the Pacific, the Giant Tiger Shrimp, or Penaeus Monodon as its scientific name, has traveled here. Perhaps it is a love for spilled oil – the shrimp is a dirty scavenger, so think of that the next time you eat one – or perhaps it is a love for the waters of the Atlantic. Whatever the case may be, people around the gulf region are reporting that they are seeing more and more of the aquatic invaders on their shores.
With the decadence of New Year’s Eve on its way, perhaps that glass of bubbly would be well suited to pair up with a shrimp cocktail of only one piece of shrimp. It would need to be a piece of shrimp you would eat with a knife and fork. You might consider eating it like you would a giant turkey leg at some festival. Before you go eating some strange critter, find out for yourself if you think it’s safe to eat.
[ images via: Mother Nature Network, FAO, USGSÂ ]
