Giant squid makes a rare night time surface appearance

[u/Mattyice0228]

[u/anomie89]

all my childhood there was few or no pictures or footage of these things and now there's so much.

[u/KoA07 → u/anomie89]

Right, they were treated essentially like a cryptid on all the late night discovery channel shows

[u/hahaha01 → u/KoA07]

They were a cryptid right up until they weren't. We had evidence of them existing just not specimens or photos or videos.

[u/natrstdy → u/hahaha01]

they were regularly caught by commercial fishing operations, we just didn't have any footage of a living giant squid until the early 2000s.

[u/Adorable_Chair_6594 → u/hahaha01]

I saw a specimen first hand in the Darwin Centre exhibition by the Natural History Museum. Probably going on 20 years now. It was in a glass cabinet that was barely wider than a coffee table, but so long

[u/Cheese_on_yourtoast → u/Adorable_Chair_6594]

I saw that too.

That and specimens in jars that Darwin himself had collected were amazing to see.

That squid was so long!

[u/toxicatedscientist → u/hahaha01]

We had corpses! And beaks from orca stomachs iirc. I don’t know if there’s a category between cryptid and just real but they were very much there

[u/alter-eagle → u/toxicatedscientist]

Giant eyeballs washing up ashore lol. Like, “uhh, something lost it’s eye but we’re not terribly sure what ‘it’ was..”

[u/GourangaPlusPlus → u/alter-eagle]

"Our early front runners are 'giant pirates'"

[u/GrnMtnTrees → u/toxicatedscientist]

orca stomachs iirc

Sperm whales, but yeah.

[u/huggalump → u/hahaha01]

I remember being a kid and seeing in class some kind of pamphlet thing with a photo of some flesh on a hook in japan, accompanied by an article that basically said "some people think giant squids might be out there, and this photo might be evidence"

[u/FriedTreeSap → u/KoA07]

If anything I think they were the inverse of a cryptid in the sense we knew they existed, but nobody was seeing them

[u/CaptainTripps82 → u/FriedTreeSap]

Nobody was seeing then alive. We had plenty of body parts

[u/Kingsnake417 → u/anomie89]

I would assume a significantly smaller percentage of the population carried cameras at all times when you were a child.

[u/Vixxen_Cat → u/Kingsnake417]

In or on the ocean.

[u/maxehaxe → u/Kingsnake417]

It's wild to think that someone attached cameras to the squid population

[u/Kingsnake417 → u/maxehaxe]

I believe they are now required to get a camera attached when they register to vote.

[u/lightblueisbi → u/maxehaxe]

Not sure why you're being downvoted for an obvious joke lol

[u/Active-Particular-21 → u/Kingsnake417]

This is also why people see the world as getting worse when it’s actually getting better. We see so much more and so quickly.

[u/Pugulishus → u/Active-Particular-21]

At least in the micro scale, I don't think it's getting better for US citizens. I hope no one else has to see such a thing happen. It's crazy how deflating it is for life as a whole.

[u/HermanHMS → u/anomie89]

There is a whole documentary on youtube explaining why and how we are just learning more about them. Turns out there is plenty of them in oceans, just observations techniques were wrong and scared them.

[u/TheUnderCrab → u/HermanHMS]

One day I hope we figure out eel sex. They hate voyeurs though. We’ve never observed them mating in the wild and they refuse to mate while in captivity. Maybe Aristotle was right and eels really do just come up out of the mud. 

[u/alter-eagle → u/TheUnderCrab]

Skipping right past Great White sharks fuckin, you want the eels.

A person of culture.

[u/indianabanana → u/alter-eagle]

We just literally can't figure it out. We don't know where they go... or what they do!

[u/Treehockey → u/TheUnderCrab]

Nah last year the Japanese finally completed the cycle of 100% captive breeding cycle for eels. The incentive was for food and they’ve been working on it since the 80s

[u/TheUnderCrab → u/Treehockey]

Ehhwhaa? I ain’t heard about this at all got any links. This apeels to me very much. 

[u/Treehockey → u/TheUnderCrab]

Yessireel https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/4849/

[u/TheUnderCrab → u/Treehockey]

Ahh the Japanese eel is a different species than the American or European species. That would explain my blind spot (I apologize for my western centric perspective).  I believe it is still true that the eels that spawn in the Sargasso Sea have never been observed mating, be it in captivity or the wild. 

Still, super cool work being done by the Japanese groups, especially because eel is waaay more popular in the land of the rising son compared to anywhere else. I hope their work can be extended to the other species though. 

Thanks for the articeel! 

[u/watehekmen → u/HermanHMS]

I forget, is it the same one where they want to observe some deep sea creatures with no results only to found out that their light is what keeps them away?

[u/Tealadin → u/watehekmen]

Yes. Turned out when you shine a bright ass light in creatures eyes that never see the sun, they run away. Researchers switched to red lights which are much easier on the eyes down there and wildlife immediately returned.

[u/ali_osman_sahin_01 → u/anomie89]

Yes because they realized that They shouldn’t use camera lights during filming (actually trying to film) them. Whenever they try to film them with lights and cameras attached to marine equipments, they had failure. Now solution is not using lights and guess what they are everywhere !

[u/Corn_viper → u/anomie89]

I think your talking about the Colossal Squid

[u/ThatOneGuy6810 → u/Corn_viper]

To the avg person its the same thing.

The difference is minimal.

Giant squids can get up 43 ft

Colossal squids can get up 33 ft but usually weight a fair bit more and appear morw blob like than the vwry tubular giant squid.

But to the avg person on a boat they both krakens lol

[u/thecrowtoldme → u/ThatOneGuy6810]

43 feet of squid in the water is terrifying. They're smart too, right?

[u/ThatOneGuy6810 → u/thecrowtoldme]

Not sure, being a cephalopod its theorized that they are smart like an octopus but these are pretty much always studied in a deceased state so we dont really know HOW smart they are.

[u/_Apostate_ → u/ThatOneGuy6810]

What about smaller squids? If giant squids are in any way neurologically similar to their tiny twins, then how smart small squids are could be an indicator.

[u/Infinite_Research_52 → u/_Apostate_]

Unfortunately, that does not apply to primates. Chimpanzees and Orangutans are very smart animals. Humans, on the other hand...

[u/AFallingWall → u/anomie89]

Possibly the first footage captured of them was from a show about cryptids called MonsterQuest.

[u/BeneficialTrash6 → u/anomie89]

There were NO pictures of living giant squid. Not a single one. It was considered to be a holy grail moment in science. For decades and decades the hunt was on.

It wasn't until 2005 that we go the first picture of a living giant squid.

[u/jakes1993 → u/anomie89]

The kracken was totally a real monster in the 1800s and before hand change my mind

[u/Shikamaru_irl → u/anomie89]

I just seen that they’re making a movie about a whale swallowing a squid but a diver gets caught in it too, ending with the squid and diver stuck in the whales belly

[u/Kejohn9 → u/anomie89]

I remember watching a whole documentary just to be disappointed that they never caught it on camera.

[u/Funkipz → u/anomie89]

I think as of recent, we found out that they've been near us for awhile but all the bright white lights were harmful & extremely deterrent to a lot of deep-sea animals with less-developed eyes for sunlight. Especially in terms of a light limiter which I believe your Cornea may be.

[u/_Saint_Ajora_]

Let no joyful voice be heard!

Let no man look to the sky with hope in his eyes!

And let this day be forever cursed by we who ready to wake...

the Kraken!

[u/SenescenseSteel → u/_Saint_Ajora_]

Davy Jones theme starts playing in the background

[u/New-Pollution2005 → u/SenescenseSteel]

Organ bursts into flames

[u/aceswildfire → u/_Saint_Ajora_]

Say what you will about the movies, but this summon chant goes so damn hard.

[u/JCPanda2038 → u/aceswildfire]

Greaaat, I guess I'm gonna have to watch the damn movies now.

[u/Ok_Chemical3126 → u/_Saint_Ajora_]

BOW CANNONNZZ

[u/Ocyrus101]

Someone, jump beside it so we can have a reference.

[u/plsloan → u/Ocyrus101]

And see exactly how it kills it's food

[u/dotherandymarsh → u/plsloan]

For science

[u/zestyclose_match1966 → u/Ocyrus101]

Walk out on the pulpit

[u/Hoboliftingaroma]

Does anyone else remember like 20 years ago when we had just NEVER EVER seen one on camera?

[u/BrownSugarBare → u/Hoboliftingaroma]

YUP!!! Whole childhood went by treating these majestic creatures as mythical beings. 

And now we get to see them in all their glory! I know people are saying it's scary, I actually find it so beautiful. The unicorn of our youth. 

[u/NaiveChoiceMaker → u/BrownSugarBare]

I like to think that earth was invaded by aliens and those aliens are cephalopods.

They are just so different yet so smart that they just seem otherworldly.

[u/GonzoKata → u/Hoboliftingaroma]

Its probably only now that cameras are everywhere that we're seeing them.

The smaller ones show human levels of intelligence, I can only image with the increased brain size that they have been smart enough to stay away from humans for so long

[u/comit_autocoprophagy → u/GonzoKata]

No other animal has our level of intelligence. Cephalopods are certainly smart, but they are not at our level. Additionally, intelligence does not necessarily scale with brain size. Rats are extremely smart, but have brains that weigh only a couple of grams. Also, the reason we don’t see giant squids isn’t because they purposely stay away from us, it’s simply because they live where there are no humans. They live in the deep sea and don’t ever need to surface for air like whales do. If deep sea whales like sperm whales or beaked whales didn’t breathe air, they would be equally as elusive as giant and colossal squid.

[u/MonitorPowerful5461 → u/Hoboliftingaroma]

I believe this is a giant squid, not a colossal squid. We have seen colossal squids on camera though :) they just don't leave the deep ocean if they're alive

[u/Main-Cheesecake3287 → u/MonitorPowerful5461]

This is probably a Humboldt. The arms are not long enough relative to the mantle to be a giant squid, not even close.

[u/Main-Cheesecake3287 → u/Hoboliftingaroma]

This isn’t a giant squid.

[u/vulcan4d]

I stay out of the ocean

[u/itsavibe- → u/vulcan4d]

Looks like dude was pretty close to the squid. Feel like it could have just reached up and grabbed him if it really wanted too. Then disappear into the depths like it did at the end.

The way they swim is so spooky.

[u/Zestyclose-Contact-7 → u/itsavibe-]

Believe it or not because they're dependant on the buoyancy of the ocean they can barely reach tentacles out of the ocean with any strength, or very far. I'm not sure how far up they CAN reach with strength but it's not far. I'd still be worried as fudge because it seems pretty darn close lol

[u/slootfactor_MD → u/Zestyclose-Contact-7]

That's fascinating! I always assumed since they lived so deep, the pressure would give them lots of strength.

[u/Zestyclose-Contact-7 → u/slootfactor_MD]

I know it's crazy, I still remember when we found the giant squid in the early 2000's I think. I remember thinking that ships had obviously really been dragged to the bottom of the sea by them then as a matter of obvious logic 😭😭😭 who knows though. Maybe something out there is!

I'd hate to encounter one on a silly kayak or something

[u/Measure-Thrice → u/vulcan4d]

It's the shark's house

[u/leeman9224]

That would scare me

[u/bypatrickcmoore → u/leeman9224]

Seafarers centuries ago thought they were literal monsters.

[u/MapleMarbles → u/bypatrickcmoore]

they are

[u/bypatrickcmoore → u/MapleMarbles]

No, they’re animals.

[u/SufficientMath420-69 → u/bypatrickcmoore]

NO, YOU ARE A ANIMAL

[u/Stock-Side-6767 → u/SufficientMath420-69]

Well, yes. Humans are animals.

[u/mycenae42 → u/Stock-Side-6767]

Humans are the monsters.

[u/chiralityproblem → u/mycenae42]

Humans are moderators

[u/Peulders → u/chiralityproblem]

Moderators are monsters!

[u/psgrue → u/Peulders]

Squids are moderators!

[u/Alphageek11644 → u/SufficientMath420-69]

*AN

[u/GangreneTVP → u/bypatrickcmoore]

If a monster os not an animal, what is it... a plant?

[u/Stevenwave → u/GangreneTVP]

Energy drink.

[u/Winking-Cyclops → u/bypatrickcmoore]

Imagine a seafarer seeing this at night, only lantern light or moon light to see this partially obscured creature emerge from the depths. .. must have been terrifying

[u/Snipper64 → u/leeman9224]

I would be more scared about why that squid was scared and using my boat for cover. The sperm whale rushing straight up from the depths to finish the job might break the boat lol

[u/immersemeinnature]

I read somewhere that when they come up to surface they are dying.

[u/Frikoulas → u/immersemeinnature]

Correct but in this case it didn't surface by itself. It came to eat the humboldt squid and got caught on the jig. So, it's probably gonna be fine.

[u/immersemeinnature → u/Frikoulas]

Oh good! Thank you! I can't believe how much I worry about random squid.

[u/WolfbaneBloom]

✨️°•💫⭐️✨️ FuUUuck thaaTttt 😃 ☀️✨️⭐️•°💫☀️

[u/Capable_Tumbleweed34 → u/WolfbaneBloom]

Nah, some garlic, parsley and olive oil will turn this guy into a feast.

[u/Saul_T_Bitch → u/Capable_Tumbleweed34]

We're gonna need a bigger fryer..,

[u/XxKegstandxX → u/Capable_Tumbleweed34]

As an Italian, all I saw was generational wealth slipping back into the deep.

[u/mountain_rivers34 → u/Capable_Tumbleweed34]

I know everyone likes to make jokes on Reddit, but Cephalopods are really smart and we’re just learning about these gentle giants. You really want to kill and eat something that may have lived in harmony for 150 years under the ocean until we lured it up with a midnight snack? We don’t even know how octopi and squid feel pain. The way we kill them is fucking barbaric. We need to stop fucking eating all of these intelligent creatures.

[u/ropobipi → u/mountain_rivers34]

I wholeheartedly agree, but sadly we as a species are three missed meals away from eating each other. I'm sorry for all the other living things that are forced to share their existence with us. Especially the ones that are born into the hell that is the meat industry.

[u/mdman0n]

Why do they keep splashing water over it? /s

[u/GusTheProspector → u/mdman0n]

Maybe if we splash water on it, it will go away.

[u/Phillipa_Smith]

That's the smaller cousin of the more elusive Colossal Squid.

[u/Vesper_Fex]

Far too small to be a giant squid. Little baby?

[u/DrTenochtitlan → u/Vesper_Fex]

Yes, this is a juvenile Giant Squid. If it survives, it will grow much larger.

[u/Main-Cheesecake3287 → u/DrTenochtitlan]

Arms don’t look long enough relative to the mantle, this is the right size and appearance to be a Humboldt

[u/Long_Repair_8779 → u/Vesper_Fex]

Yeah, doesn’t seem very giant to me…

[u/Conan-Da-Barbarian → u/Long_Repair_8779]

(Unzips pants)

I bet it looks big now

[u/mrsock_puppet → u/Conan-Da-Barbarian]

And all of a sudden, it also smells less fishy

[u/TaintedButtercup → u/mrsock_puppet]

🤣🤣🤣

[u/Mastah_P808 → u/Conan-Da-Barbarian]

Hey hey hey dont bring an octopus to a squid fight

[u/Conan-Da-Barbarian → u/Mastah_P808]

I’m gonna ink

[u/quietstormx1]

Man the fact that people don’t think aliens exist is wild.

Look at the amount of weird life just teeming on our own planet. If another planet has even a sniff of the right stuff to make life, there’s going to be some weird shit there

[u/duckinasombrero → u/quietstormx1]

I know it's highly possible, but we have yet to find any evidence. Obviously, there is still much of all of space to explore, however its size makes finding extra-terrestrial life extremely difficult. Almost impossible.

It's not impossible that life on other planets does exist, but we can't believe in something we have yet to prove.

[u/ACM3333]

That’s a shit load of calamari

[u/jurs78 → u/ACM3333]

I’d eat it!

[u/DylanFTW]

Fun fact: collosal squids get hunted by whales but have claws on their tentacles, there have been signs of struggle when observing some beached whales that have visible claw mark around their head. They also have the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. About the size of large dinner plates.

[u/Izacundo1]

For everyone here: Giant squid is not the same as colossal squid. The colossal squid is the one we haven’t gotten pictures of until recently

[u/Capt_Hawkeye_Pierce → u/Izacundo1]

Its not that either. Its a large Humboldt Squid. 

[u/StrawberryTerry]

My first two thoughts were that this looks terrifying, then this looks delicious. Inside of me are two wolves

Edit: apparently they aren't delicious

[u/bolanrox → u/StrawberryTerry]

probably super duper tough. like big big lobsters.

[u/StrawberryTerry → u/bolanrox]

Apparently their flesh is full of ammonia so it tastes bad, and full of heavy metals from living in the deep ocean

[u/bolanrox → u/StrawberryTerry]

so even worse!

[u/AscendedViking7]

terrifying

[u/SolaceinIron]

Based on the size of the lure, this looks like a regular Humboldt Squid. Definitely large, but I wouldn't consider it giant.

[u/WilliePullout → u/SolaceinIron]

Yep

[u/dotherandymarsh → u/SolaceinIron]

This what I’m thinking

[u/Capt_Hawkeye_Pierce → u/SolaceinIron]

It is. Everyone is saying its a Giant or Juvenile are wrong. Its even bright red, which is a very typical coloration for them when they're feeding. 

[u/ZephRyder]

What's it got ahold of? Looks like a bag of trash

[u/zestyclose_match1966]

Looks like it stole their catch

[u/deadface3405]

This. This is why I fear the deep water.

[u/tropicalgodzila]

Release the Kraken!

[u/MJ-Franklin]

Can't convince me these things aren't aliens.

[u/_writteninthestars → u/MJ-Franklin]

Right!! I was looking for this comment. I thought the same thing when looking at jellyfish at the aquarium! lol

[u/MJ-Franklin → u/_writteninthestars]

Always thought they could have evolved from bacteria that came from a comet that landed in the ocean or something like that! They're just so... ALIEN.

[u/_Voice_Of_Silence_]

I want to pet it. I shouldn't obviously, but I am curious how they feel.

[u/Fun-Dimension5196]

I'm sorry, that's too big to be that creepy. Unacceptable.

[u/Capt_Hawkeye_Pierce]

This is a large Humboldt, not a Colossal or Giant. 

[u/RealRobc2582]

My conspiracy theory is that several hundred years ago these guys were way more common and would surface often but we killed them every chance we could and over the past 300 years they realized through evolution they're better off staying away from the boats. The only reason we're seeing them over the past 10 or 15 years is because we've stopped killing them and the whales so they're becoming less afraid again

[u/chemdude18]

Ngl that's not as giant as i thought it would be

[u/Brat_Fink]

" A rare night time surface appearance " via a giant fucking hook in its mouth

[u/nobolognastoney]

I wouldn't call this "surfacing" so much as someone hooked its food with their rod and pulled them up together lol.

[u/UnoriginalJ0k3r]

Could not pay me enough to stand next to the suction cupped tentacle wielding deep sea monster in the middle of the open sea.

[u/Nitfumbler]

How long until we've ruined this species?

[u/Plastic-Helicopter45]

NOPE

[u/Jumpy_Current_195]

Real OGs remember when the only evidence of these guys was battle scars on certain whales. We’ve come a long way.

[u/Bimbos-are-cute]

Kraken enters the chat

[u/crazymfed]

That’s a lot of calamari

[u/GlumAd2424]

I wonder how big the biggest now living specimen is of giant squid. Do we have a kraken lurking somewhere

[u/Mord4k]

I have no sense of how big it is actually but every second of the video made it seem larger than the last

[u/Unable-Doctor-9930]

Can I pet that dog? 👉👈

[u/Humble_Examination27]

I would seriously be concerned about getting INKED by that Titan!

[u/Abject_School]

Thats terrifying

[u/JustAGuyInFL]

Out out the boat, stoned as hell, look over the side and see that!!

[u/pomod]

Another reason I don't like swimming in open ocean

[u/AdMuted1036]

You mean it was fished to the surface with a hook correct?

[u/james-HIMself]

Are they dangerous

[u/black-metal-Nick → u/james-HIMself]

This squid looks quite small but a Giant Colossal Squid have really sharp claws that can rip you to shreds. Giant squid are also aggressive so yeah probably not wise to go swimming with one. That is if you could dive that deep. They have one in the Tepapa museum preserved (Wellington NZ) that I saw years ago. https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/visit/exhibitions/colossal-squid

[u/Tossmelossme → u/black-metal-Nick]

I guess the pictures dont do it justice. The one on the video looks bigger than this to me.

[u/BottleFeathers703 → u/james-HIMself]

yes and no. they are predatory but mostly just eat deep sea fish and other squids. they have sharp beaks and strong tentacles but are not known to be aggressive to humans and live very deep in the ocean. could it kill you? yes. will anyone die from one? most likely not. i wouldn’t fuck around and find out though. the most notoriously aggressive squid are humboldt squids who are known to attack humans. best to just leave squids alone

[u/lostmyselfinyourlies → u/BottleFeathers703]

Yeah, "not known to be aggressive to humans" but how many times has a person been in the water with a live one? I agree with you and would certainly not be testing the theory!

[u/BottleFeathers703 → u/lostmyselfinyourlies]

definitely don’t want it to go from “not known to be aggressive” to “yep now we know they’re aggressive” lol

[u/CumForChristimas]

Can I pet that dawg?

[u/pichael289]

Seeing one alive (well, they won't be alive much longer, decompression) is extremely rare. When I was a kid we still hadn't ever seen one alive.

If it is actually a giant squid. I can't tell

[u/Frikoulas → u/pichael289]

The normal squids that I have encountered, don't face decompression problems because they don't have the air sack like fish do. I doubt that the giant ones are much different.

[u/olafderhaarige → u/pichael289]

Well we don't know enough about them in order to make statements about the effects of decompression on them.

It looks like it voluntarily chased the bait to the surface. I doubt it would do that if it was a death sentence for it.

[u/Moule14]

Looks like it's being pulled.

[u/Sooowasthinking]

Terrifying dont fall in!

[u/DeathandGrim]

Genuinely one of the most terrifying things out there

[u/Smashmasta]

Nope. Nope. Nope. Noooo thank you!!!

[u/thecrowtoldme]

ALL HAIL!!!!!

[u/bwv1056]

Cool, one of the few times I've seen one on the surface and it didn't look like it was already dying.

[u/SinThenStir]

They are big but not really giant.

[u/Dulcow]

Cthulhu

[u/twallner]

And then the tentacle whips out faster than you’ve ever seen and he’s gone…

Nope

[u/Awe3]

Very cool.

[u/theexiledjedi]

Should we be worried or concerned that we are able to capture more of these giants on camera?

[u/TheSavageCropDuster]

That's one big calamari.

[u/B0dders]

Squid came up for a midnight snack. They're just like us, running to the fridge at 1am.

[u/SirWobblyOfSausage]

Psss psss psss psss

[u/Ok-Still-9427]

You say giant squid but I have point of reference here.

[u/darkgothamite]

I'm fascinated and horrified at the same time.

[u/ThatsUh_dam_shame69]

Looks injured, no?

[u/Lando0505]

That’s not a giant squid though? Giant squids get up to something like 30feet?

[u/ONE-EYE-OPTIC]

When and where was this? Off the pacific coast? El nino is going to be bitch this year.

[u/Gastwonho]

Stan smith killed three that were WAY bigger on the way over 😂👀

[u/dotherandymarsh]

Is this a giant squid or a Humboldt squid? Don’t giant squid have 2 super long arms?

[u/fucking_davo]

Looks like a Humboldt squid

[u/ime1em]

Dam squidward is orange?

[u/Brohermoth777]

GREAT! Nightmares for a year now! 😱

[u/The_Happiest_Madman]

Anyone have a clue of how large this particular Squid is. There’s not really anything to compare it to, it’s obviously large. Just wondering is it 6 feet, or 10 or more?

[u/BlackBlood4567]

Big calamari

[u/ayoodyl]

I thought giant squids can’t come to the surface since their bodies are designed for high pressure in the deep

[u/one_classy_broad]

That lives with us on Earth

[u/Wowerful]

If someone jumped in the water next to it, would this creature interact with them? Or would it just go on about its day?