One of the most enigmatic and colossal creatures of the oceanic abyss sighted after more than 100 years of waiting
A century after its discovery, the colossal squid has been filmed alive in its natural environment for the first time near the South Sandwich Islands.
It has taken 100 years to see this deep-sea creature again. Now, an international team of scientists and crew aboard the research vessel Falkor, from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, has become the first to capture live footage of the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) in its natural habitat.
The 30-centimeter-long squid was recorded at a depth of 600 meters by the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian from the Ocean Institute. The sighting occurred on March 9 during an expedition near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
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This year marks 100 years since the formal identification and naming of the colossal squid, a member of the glass squid family (Cranchiidae).
The expedition took place in the remote South Sandwich Islands, in the South Atlantic Ocean. This year also commemorates the centennial of the species’ scientific recognition, and the squid is estimated to reach up to seven meters in length.
“It’s thrilling to see the first in-situ footage of a juvenile colossal squid,” said Dr. Kat Bolstad of Auckland University of Technology, one of the independent scientific experts consulted to verify the footage.
“It’s touching to think they have no idea humans exist.” For 100 years, they’ve mostly been found as prey remains in the stomachs of whales and seabirds, or as predators of Patagonian toothfish.
Colossal squids are estimated to grow up to seven meters long and weigh up to 500 kilograms, making them the heaviest invertebrate on Earth. Little is known about their life cycle, but over time, they lose the transparency seen in younger individuals. While fishermen have recorded footage of dying adult squids, they have never before been seen alive at depth.
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