A colossal squid — the world’s largest squid species — was filmed and photographed in its natural for the first time since scientists discovered it about a century ago. Crew members on board a research vessel in the South Atlantic Ocean recorded the video March 9, said the nonprofit organization Schmidt Ocean Institute, which owns the ship.
The crew’s remotely operated vehicle technically facilitated the sighting, which occurred about 2,000 feet below the surface of waters around the South Sandwich Islands, a volcanic archipelago located between the tip of South America and Antarctica. The unprecedented footage of the elusive deep-sea creature came 100 years after it was initially identified and given a name, according to the institute.
As their moniker suggests, colossal squid can grow to be enormous, with some ultimately weighing as much as 1,100 pounds and measuring up to 43 feet, according to the conservation group Oceana. That’s the height of a multi-story building. The squid caught on video in the South Atlantic was a juvenile and much smaller than a full-grown adult, with the research team placing its size at around 11 feet long.
“It’s exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,” said Kat Bolstad, a professor and researcher at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, who the crew consulted to verify their squid footage after the expedition. “For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish.”
The expedition occurred during a 35-day voyage where researchers sought to find new marine life, according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Colossal squid belong to the “glass squid” family, a group of about 60 squid species that earned that label because of their transparent bodies. Scientists said that while colossal squid have this appearance as juveniles, their bodies become more opaque over time. Although not much is known about the life cycle of the massive squid, this change has been documented by fishermen who have encountered colossal squid as they die.
The Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research trips have so far led to the first sightings of four species of squid, including the latest colossal squid sighting, the organization said. The institute’s executive director Jyotika Virmani described the encounters as “unforgettable moments,” which “continue to remind us that the Ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved.”
Emily Mae Czachor is a news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social and criminal justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.
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