Nature
PUBLISHED
Giant squids usually remain in the dark depths of the ocean or in pirate stories. However, late last week on Christmas Eve, a squid from this elusive species was spotted swimming at the sea's surface.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.The amazing footage was captured on December 24, 2015, in Toyama Bay on the west coast of Japan. It’s believed the beast is a juvenile, measuring an estimated 3.7 meters (12.1 feet) in length, compared to the 13 meters (43 feet) of a fully matured adult.
As you can see in the video below, the cephalopod was joined by Akinobu Kimura, the owner of a diving shop, who dived into the bay and swam alongside the giant squid.
"This squid was not damaged and looked lively, spurting ink and trying to entangle his tentacles around me," Kimura told CNN. "I guided the squid toward to the ocean, several hundred meters from the area it was found in, and it disappeared into the deep sea."
No one is really sure why the squid ended up in Toyama Bay. But, then again, scientists know very little about the behavior or physiology of these mysterious sea creatures. Until 2012, this species had not even been caught on camera in its natural habitat.
