From Original Article by Ted Chamberlain, at NationalGeographic.com
February 22, 2007
In Antarctica’s Ross Sea, a fishing boat has caught what is likely the world’s biggest known colossal squid (yes, that’s the species’ name), New Zealand officials announced today.
Heavier than even giant squid, colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) have eyes as wide as dinner plates and sharp hooks on some of their suckers. The new specimen weighs in at an estimated 990 pounds (450 kilograms).
The sea monster had become entangled while feeding on Patagonian toothfish (toothfish photos) caught on long lines of hooks. The crew then maneuvered the squid into a net and painstakingly hauled it aboard—a two-hour process.
Hi Zax I’m katyjozoi from Stumbleupon. Your blog is great! This pic of this gigantic squid is especially cool and terrifying all at once.
That’d make calamari for weeks!
What this item does not say is that the Squid was captured ALIVE. The crew, some of whom know friends of mine, said that they had to be exceptionally careful of the tentacles which were grasping the lines, ropes and anything put near it.
They eventually got it into the blast freezer, but not without a few racing hearts.
um, why didn’t they just let it go again? it was a piece of history!
y cant they just let it go its a living thing
it didnt do any crime
What a catch! However last week me and my uncle mary went on a big fishing adventure down to Marsden rock in sunderland, we managed to haul in a 56 ft Catfish!! Hard to believe but if you ask anyone in sunderland they will tell you ‘We will be eating catfish buttys for another 3 months!’ Great stuff.
that is apeaceofhistory
I agree with the two voices: why the “catch! kill! boast!” mentality towards other creatures? It’s ugly to simply want to pointlessly destroy living things.
The reason why they couldn’t let it go is that it is a deep sea creature – the pressure change in the act of accidentally catching it did irreparable damage tissue wise to the Squid.
It dies of a massive case of the bends.