Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Secret Squid

Finally, scientists have caught one of my favourite creatures on video in its natural habitat.  The giant squid is an elusive one; until recently, scientists had only seen dead ones and knew about its habits from the immense scratch marks on its enemies of the deep and its main predators, the sperm whale. Did I mention that, instead of simple suction cups on its tentacles, the giant squid has rotating claws -- thus the scratch marks on the whales. Imagine that battle! And these claws on thirty-foot long tentacles! You can't make this stuff up! Commenting on the video, taken 2,000 feet below the surface in the Pacific,Tsunemi Kudodera said, "It was stunning. I couldn't have dreamt that it would be so beautiful. It was such a wonderful creature." See for yourself:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/jan/08/giant-squid-filmed-natural-habitat-first-time-video