Emile the Crawfish was transported from his home in a pond near Kaplan, La., to the 小蝌蚪APP Tuesday in a police car. He was brought to an area near Cypress Lake on campus in a wire mesh crawfish trap. He was plucked from the trap and deposited in a small aquarium.
The expressionless mudbug seemed unaware that his confinement would be short-lived or that the pardon he was about to receive from Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser meant he小蝌蚪APP檇 never be plunked in a pot of boiling water.
Emile小蝌蚪APP檚 reprieve came thanks to the Louisiana Office of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, both of which Nungesser oversees. The 小蝌蚪APP淧ardoning of the Crawfish小蝌蚪APP ceremony began in 2017 to promote the state seafood industry and celebrate crawfish season. The 小蝌蚪APP also hosted last year小蝌蚪APP檚 pardoning.
Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, told students, faculty and others who gathered at the event that 小蝌蚪APP渘othing pulls people together in south Louisiana quite like a crawfish boil, but it小蝌蚪APP檚 nice to know folks will gather to watch a fortunate crustacean get off the hook as well.小蝌蚪APP
Six hundred pounds of free, boiled crawfish were served following the ceremonial pardoning. The one lucky crawfish not heaped on a platter was named for J. Emile Verret, a 1905 graduate of the 小蝌蚪APP who served as the state小蝌蚪APP檚 lieutenant governor from 1944-1948.
Emile 小蝌蚪APP the crawfish, not the former lieutenant governor 小蝌蚪APP officially earned his freedom with a proclamation that declared he be spared 小蝌蚪APP渢he fate of being served in any boil, 茅touff茅, po-boy or dish imagined by any chef小蝌蚪APPnd shall be free from water any hotter than that found in the beautiful swamps and bayous of Louisiana.小蝌蚪APP
Clemency wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 the only thing the lucky crustacean received. He got a new home at Palmetto State Park near Abbeville, La. Emile was transported to the park following the ceremony to live out his days burrowing carefree in the mud.
Photo caption: Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser granted Emile the Crawfish a ceremonial pardon on Tuesday at the 小蝌蚪APP to promote the state seafood industry and celebrate crawfish season. Photo credit: Rachel Rafati / 小蝌蚪APP