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ST. ANDREWS - The province's newly famous sea star Big Dee-Dee is resting in its rock cave in an aquarium at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews with news articles as far away as China posted about it.

Enlarge Photo

Mary-Ellen Saunders/Telegraph-Journal

Jessica Thibault of Saint John travelled to St. Andrews Tuesday afternoon to get a look at the 10-kilogram lobster called Big Dee-Dee that has made headlines in the past few weeks. Big Dee-Dee was donated to the Huntsman Marine Science Centre.

People are stopping in to stare at the 10-kilogram lobster that scientists say is about 40 years old, as it sits quietly in its aquarium and wiggles its claws.

The lobster was found in Deer Island and ended up in Shediac at the Big Fish seafood store, where it was made famous when a bidding war broke out with some people wanting to eat it and others wanting to set it free.

Big Fish owner Denis Breau decided not to take an offer on his sea friend and instead donated Big Dee-Dee to the science centre, where it arrived Monday.

On Tuesday, visitors to the Huntsman Marine Science Centre were wowed by the lobster as they stopped to pose with the crustacean, snap pictures and talk about the size of Dee-Dee's claws.

"It's amazing how huge his claws are," said Mary Lou Delong. "We just had a lobster feed with two-and-a-half pound lobsters and we thought those were big."

Cayleih Robertson was at the front desk of the aquarium on Tuesday cutting a decorative lobster out of red paper.

Robertson said the phone has been ringing off the hook for the past few days with people wanting to know about the lobster. She said that when most visitors arrived Tuesday, they were not aware the lobster had already arrived.

"He seems content and not stressed," said Robertson.

"He definitely met everyone's expectations."

After reading about the large sea creature, Jessica Thibault, Paulette Thibault and Laura Thibault drove from Saint John Tuesday to get a look at it with their own eyes. After they saw Big Dee-Dee, they all said it was worth it.

"It's great it's here - it has great accommodations," said Paulette Thibault. "Imagine what that lobster would have seen in its life."

Tracey Dean, director of the education department with the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, said the giant lobster will be used to educate children about marine life.

Dean said there is a lot to learn from a lobster that has been successful enough in his life to survive this long. She said the big guy will be a lasting memory for children who come to the centre to learn about the Bay of Fundy's ocean life.

"Eating is a one-shot deal, but with this all the school groups are going to be able to see the lobster," Dean said.

"And the tourists and people coming to the aquarium will be able to admire it and see how big these lobsters get and how grand they can be, rather than the one-pounders we just pop in the pot."