Otherworldly predators

So here I am.  John and Dan too.  We’ve been presenting sea hares to lobsters in the preserve. We are politely asking each lobster we encounter if he or she would like a bite of sea hare. 

A few days ago, inside the WMSC preserve, we presented sea hares to 15 lobsters.  6 of the lobsters attacked!  They just pounced on the sea hares, probed them, turned them brought them to their mouths, even ran away with the sea hare tucked under their bodies.  The sea hares inked (if they hadn’t already).  We don’t have many sea hares to go around, so we intervened (in this movie we bonk the lobster on the top of its carapace), and stole our sea hare back.  Sometimes that was pretty hard.  As scared as lobsters are of humans, they didn’t let go. Damnest thing you ever saw. No one has seen this before.  I’ve talked with a crusty sea-hare collector about this.  He’s presented sea hares to lobsters on the mainland countless times. He has NEVER seen lobsters attack.   But here in the preserve, lobsters pounce on sea hares, probe them, ball them up, bite them, run with them tucked under their chest, eat them.  It’s the coolest behavior you ever saw.  Here’s a movie.