Rare colossal squid defrosted for examination
- Published
Marine biologists in New Zealand have started to examine a rare colossal squid, found near the South Pole.
It was accidentally caught by fishermen in the Antarctic. Captain John Bennett and his crew had to haul the creature from a mile below the surface.
Huge squids like this one have rarely been seen in daylight. This creature was frozen for preservation and took 24 hours to defrost before scientists could start examining it.
It has eight arms, it's as long as a minibus and is nearly the same weight as three baby elephants. The scientists studying the creature say its tentacles could have been twice as long if it hadn't been damaged.
The examination was streamed live online and was watched by thousands of people around the world.
Researchers hope the squid will reveal more about the slippery species. ``This is essentially an intact specimen, which is almost an unparalleled opportunity for us to examine,'' said Kat Bolstad. ``This is a spectacular opportunity,'' she added.
