The giant squid is 4m long. (Photo: Anton Donaldson)
Anton Donaldson, a guide of the Farewell Spit Tours tour company, was informed by a colleague of the squid carcass washed up on the sand at Farewell Cape in Golden Bay, New Zealand , Newsweek reported on September 12. When Donaldson and his tour group got there, they found a 4-meter-long squid lying in the sand.
“For most people, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Giant squid are rare on any beach, so you need to be there at the right time because organic matter doesn’t last forever. “, Donaldson shared. According to him, the squid had bite marks, most likely caused by other marine life such as small sharks.
The giant squid is the second largest mollusk in the world, second only to the colossal squid, which can grow up to 13 meters long. Researchers believe they are found all over the world but are rarely seen alive.
Giant squid live at depths of about 305 – 1,000 m. The only time giant squid was filmed was in 2006 off the Ogasawara Islands, Japan. According to the Two Oceans Aquarium in South Africa, there have been 677 sightings of giant squid.
This squid has the largest eyes in the animal kingdom, as large as a dish with a diameter of 25 cm, according to National Geographic. The researchers think that giant squid evolved such large eyes to detect bioluminescent light from prey in the dark at depths of hundreds of meters.
They are common prey for sperm whales, and squid carcasses have also been found in the stomachs of pilot whales, southern sleeper sharks and killer whales.
