A Penticton wildlife lover and avid snorkeler pulled up a crayfish from Okanagan Lake this week and was able to get clear footage of the clawed crustacean before carefully returning it back to the water.

“I dove down a few times while he got used to me then just gently grabbed him from his back and swam him into shore for a better look,” Marshall Shelswell told iNFOnews.ca.

“They seem to love the cold temperatures as I always see them out of their holes around this time of year, scurrying across the lake floor.”

The crayfish in Shelwell’s video is seen backing up across the sand using its mega-sized claws, before disappearing into the lapping waves.

The lobster-like creature was spotted at a location off the highway in Summerland, between Penticton and Trout Creek.

“I’ve seen some pretty big ones in this spot, there’s a lot of rocks for them to hide under,” Shelswell said. “During the warm months they’re usually hiding but you can spot their dugouts and see their claws hanging out.”

The only native species of crayfish in the region, signal crayfish can be found in rivers, lakes and streams across the Okanagan. With hard shells and powerful claws, the crustaceans resemble smaller versions of ocean dwelling lobsters.

Typically hiding in rocky areas close to shore, the little creatures generally grow to about three inches in length, however, in 2020 a professional diver discovered one in Okanagan Lake that was a foot long.

“Most people overlook them. Unless they’ve been pulled up by some animal, you’re not likely to see them,” UBC Okanagan professor of biology and environmental science Ian Walker told iNFOnews.ca in a previous article.

The crayfish are brownish in colour and blend in well with rocks. As their shells dry out, they can appear bright red like a lobster or sometimes appear blue.

The signal crayfish is one of over 500 different species of crayfish found worldwide and one of 11 species found across Canada. They are found in the southern quarter of British Columbia, ranging as far north as Okanagan Lake, west to Vancouver Island and east to the Kootenays.

With a freshwater fishing licence B.C. residents are allowed to catch up to 25 per day. Some residents trap them using cans of cat food with holes poked in them, but unlike they’re bigger lobster and crab cousins, it takes a lot of signal crayfish to make a meal.

More information on B.C. crayfish, including how to catch them and cook them, can be found here.