A research team of international scientists has set a goal to study giant squid in their natural habitat by 2025, on the 100th anniversary of their discovery. During their research in Antarctic waters, they encountered a small squid that appeared to be a juvenile giant squid. This sparked intrigue and led them to set this ambitious goal.
To achieve this objective, the team embarked on four expeditions to Antarctica between December 2022 and March 2023. Equipped with a deep-sea camera system on the polar cruise ship Ocean Endeavor, they searched for giant squid in the depths of the Southern Ocean. Although they did not find any adults, they captured footage of a glass squid, which could be an unknown form or an adult Galiteuthis glacialis or a juvenile giant squid.
Giant squid are one of the ocean’s biggest mysteries due to little being known about them. They are estimated to reach lengths of 14 meters and weigh at least 500 kg, making them the largest invertebrates on earth. The team’s sightings were significant as they are one of the few species that have been observed in their natural environment.
Apart from capturing footage of giant squids, the team also documented over 80 other deep-sea species during their expeditions, including giant sponges, Antarctic sunflower starfish, and soft corals. The team is currently analyzing the footage and data collected during their expeditions to better understand these elusive creatures and the diverse marine ecosystem in Antarctica region.
The discovery of giant squids has always been challenging due to their elusive nature and lack of information about them. However, with this newfound knowledge, researchers hope to shed more light on these fascinating creatures and further understand how they fit into the ecosystem.
