The post Divers Encounter a Live Giant Squid Swimming on the Ocean Surface appeared first on A-Z Animals.
The ocean is full of wondrous creatures, from small plankton to enormous whales. However, a different kind of animal has taken the world by storm thanks to a recent YouTube video.
In the 30-second clip, divers off the coast of Japan came face-to-face with a giant squid, gently gliding below the water’s surface.
While it’s possible to see anything in the open sea, these creatures are known for being among the most elusive marine animals and generally spend most of their time thousands of feet below the surface.
The few times people have encountered giant squids, it’s been due to the animals being stuck or washed ashore. So, to see one alive and moving freely in the water is extraordinary.
In the following sections, we’ll explore what makes this footage so rare, what scientists know about these mystifying creatures of the deep, and why encounters like this offer a glimpse into one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries.
Where Are Giant Squids Found?
©YouTube/AFPNewsAgency
Typically, giant squids live in deep ocean waters worldwide but are most often associated with temperate and subtropical regions, including the North Atlantic, around Japan, and near New Zealand.
Unlike other animals that like to stay closer to the surface, these creatures inhabit bathypelagic zones, normally living at depths of 1,000 to 3,000 feet or more.
Since marine biologists have a challenging time accessing data from these depths, it’s incredibly difficult to study giant squid. Most of what we know about the animal comes from dead specimens that wash ashore or are caught accidentally by deep-sea trawlers.
Live sightings are so rare that until the early 2000s, scientists had never captured one on camera in its natural habitat.
Is It Normal Behavior To Swim On The Ocean Surface?
Seeing a giant squid can be awe-inspiring but also highly unusual. These encounters often signal that something is off with either the squid or the surrounding environment.
Giant squids are built for life in deep water and thrive in cold, high-pressure environments. Many scientists believe that heading towards the surface is a sign of:
- Disorientation
- Injury
- Illness
- Changing water temperatures
- Changing oxygen levels in the water
Even though there have been a handful of reports of live squid near the surface, most encounters were brief and often involved animals that seemed injured or dying.
What makes the video so remarkable is that the squid appears healthy, alert, and moving with control, all signs that the animal chose to head for the water’s surface.
How Big Are Giant Squid?
©YouTube/AFPNewsAgency
While it might not be the legendary “Kraken,” giant squids are still one of the largest invertebrates in the world.
Their bodies alone can measure over 6 to 7 feet, with tentacles that extend several times that length, lined with powerful suction cups and small, sharp hooks for grabbing prey. Despite their massive size, they remain incredibly elusive, using the vastness of the ocean as cover.
The largest specimens ever recorded stretched close to 59 feet, although many scientists believe most adults fall somewhere in the 30-foot range.
What Do They Eat?
Although little is known about the animal, many experts believe they are solitary hunters who rely on stealth and surprise to hunt prey in the open water.
Giant squid are carnivorous predators, feeding primarily on deep-sea fish and other squid. They use their two long feeding tentacles to snatch prey, pulling it toward a beak-like mouth capable of easily cutting through flesh.
Once caught, the food is passed through a radula, a tongue-like organ lined with rows of tiny teeth, before it’s swallowed.
In deeper water, they’re among the top invertebrate predators, although they are known to become prey to sperm whales.
Why Are Giant Squid So Rarely Seen?
Giant squid are rarely seen alive for a simple reason: they live in parts of the ocean that are nearly impossible for humans to explore.
The bathypelagic zone, where they reside, is dark, vast, and difficult to reach with traditional equipment.
For centuries, giant squid were more myth than reality — described in sailors’ tales and folklore but never observed firsthand.
It wasn’t until 2004 that a team of researchers in Japan captured the first-ever photographs of a live giant squid, and in 2012, the first video footage followed. Even today, such sightings remain extraordinarily rare.
Giant squid appear to be naturally elusive, avoiding light and noise while drifting silently through the water. They aren’t drawn to bait or lures like many fish species and don’t swim in large groups.
As a result, most encounters come by chance, either through a stranded individual or, as in this case, a brief and unexpected moment at the surface.
The post Divers Encounter a Live Giant Squid Swimming on the Ocean Surface appeared first on A-Z Animals.