Giant squids are the largest among species as they could grow up to 43 feet (12 meters) long and weigh nearly a ton. However, they remain largely a mystery to scientists despite being the biggest invertebrate on the planet because giant squids live deep underwater.
However, just recently, two giant squids washed ashore last week. One was found in Cape Town and the other in Japan. However, one survived and the other died.
Giant Squid Washed Up on Cape Town
Last Friday, April 29, a giant squid washed up on Kommetjie beach in Cape Town on a rare occasion. Beachgoers were amazed to see the massive cephalopod and took photos of the sea animal and shared them online.
This giant Squid washed up on the Beach at Kommetjie during the night .. Thats CapeTown for you pic.twitter.com/73szX89XFF
— Ubhuti Wabantu (@NcubukeziM) April 30, 2022
Local news outlet The South African reported that the squid's carcass is said to have washed up on Friday evening and was found on Saturday morning, April 30. Cape Town authorities were also alerted of the rare sighting in which the carcass has been collected and transferred to a local museum. Scientists took tissue samples for DNA analysis.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Jon Friedman told News24 that their Wildlife team responded after receiving a call about a giant squid being washed up on the Cape's coastal beaches. He admitted it was "quite a spectacle to see" because it doesn't happen regularly. However, there was not much left on the squid's carcass as some fishermen had already carved out the sought-after bits like the eyes, beak and tentacles.
An eyewitness who saw the squid's body before it was hacked up saw a deep cut behind its mantle, which Friedman believed was an indication that it might have been hit by a ship.
Local resident Ali Paulus, founder of Volunteer and Explore, saw the remains of the giant squid. According to her, they couldn't believe what they saw in front of them. Her sons were so fascinated. She believed the dead giant squid was bigger than her boys.
"If I had to have one of the boys lay next to the squid, it would've been far bigger than them," Paulus said.
She speculated that a boat propeller slashed the sea creature because she noticed the big cut above its tentacles.
10-Foot Giant Squid Found Alive on Japanese Shore
The Independent reported a giant squid sighting on a beach in Japan. The squid was said to be at least 10 feet (3 meters) long and was found stranded alive at Ugu beach in Obama of Fukui Prefecture.
A video of the massive cephalopod was shared by news agency AFP on Twitter and it has since received more than 200,000 views. Japanese local newspaper Mainichi reported that a resident first spotted the massive squid at 10 am at the beach on April 20 on the Sea of Japan coast.
VIDEO: Giant squid washes ashore alive in Japan.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 22, 2022
A giant squid 3.35 metres in length has been found alive on a shore in western Japan.
Giant squid live in the deep sea, and is unusual for one to be washed ashore alive. The squid has now been transported to an aquarium pic.twitter.com/FGdc23MBjI
The giant squid can be seen swimming in the shallow waters of the beach as officials try to get a measurement of the cephalopod. It has been transported to Echizen Matsushima Aquarium in the Sakai City.
All About Giant Squids
Giant squids look like most squids and octopuses that have two eyes, a beak, eight arms, and two feeding tentacles but are only much larger. According to Smithsonian Magazine, the feeding tentacles of giant squids allow them to prey up to 33 feet (10 meters) away. These appendages are so long that they double the total length of the giant squid itself.
Meanwhile, its arms are speckled with 2-inch-wide toothed suckers they use to guide prey into their sharp beak at the center, where it is sliced into bite-sized pieces.
Its eyes are also so big that it is the same size as dinner plates that measure 1 foot (30 centimeters) in diameter, the largest in the animal kingdom. These huge eyes help them hunt as they absorb more light to see bioluminescent prey and predators lurking in the dark.
Lastly, its body contains all the basic organs, while the underside is an amazing multi-purpose tool that helps the squid breathe, expel waste, lay eggs, squirt ink, and move through jet propulsion.
RELATED ARTICLE: Record-Breaking Giant Squid Caught in Hawaii, Fisherman Says It Can Make About 100 Plates of Calamari
Check out more news and information on the Giant Squid in Science Times.
