Although its the largest invertebrate species in the world, scientists have never glimpsed the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) in its natural habitat.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
However, a non-profit ocean research team named Kolossal may have finally spotted a juvenile colossal squid as it traversed the waters around Antarctica. If true, this would be the first video of its kind.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
The team captured this footage by rigging a deep-sea camera to a polar tourism vessel.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Humans spend nearly their entire lives on land, but the Earth we call home is really a water world. With 71 percent of the Earth\u2019s surface covered by water, this expansive ecosystem<\/a> has been difficult to study, and many animals of the deep ocean remain a complete mystery. One of the most spellbinding of these animals is the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni). When full-grown, this creature is about as long as a bus and weighs nearly 1,100 pounds.<\/p>\n Believed to live in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica<\/a>, this immense cephalopod\u2014the largest invertebrate species on the planet\u2014 has never been observed in its natural habitat<\/a>. Scientists only get a good look at these animals when trawlers accidentally catch them in their nets. But a new kind of oceanographic study seems to have struck gold last year when international research team and non-profit called Kolossal<\/a> appeared to have stumbled across a juvenile colossal squid during one of its four trips to Antarctica from December 2022 to March 2023.<\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Photo credit: Hearst Owned<\/p>\n Get the Issue<\/a><\/p>\n The team used a novel approach for imaging the ocean<\/a>\u2014outfitting a polar tourism vessel called the Ocean Endeavor with a deep-sea camera. Thankfully, the research team released the footage, which the website IFLScience<\/a> promptly posted to YouTube.<\/p>\n \u201cAntarctica is experiencing rapid and complex change, and it is critical to have a better understanding of these changes for the region\u2019s ocean ecosystems,\u201d the Kolossal team wrote in a paper<\/a> detailing the method in 2024. \u201cThe costs and logistical challenges to operate scientific research vessels prohibits the scaling of crucial science and discovery in the region. Yet, the tourism<\/a> industry in Antarctica is growing rapidly, and collaboration between tourism companies and researchers provides important access to the region.\u201d<\/p>\n While leveraging tourism for marine exploration is a logistical win-win, finding verified footage of a colossal squid is as hard as ever. Even the short clip of the above specimen isn\u2019t confirmed, as the video could be capturing an adult glass squid Galiteuthis glacialis or perhaps even a species completely unknown to science<\/a>. The video is being peer-reviewed by experts, but it\u2019s unlikely that scientists will ever know for sure. But because footage of any squid species in the Southern Ocean is rare, the footage is a huge victory for marine biologists studying these famously elusive animals regardless of its contents.<\/p>\n \u201cThe two known Cranchiidae taxa seen in the Antarctic are Galiteuthis glacialis and Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni,\u201d Aaron Evans, who is peer reviewing the footage, told IFLScience. \u201cThe squid seen here could belong to different life stages of either of those taxa\u2014and is an exciting example of wild cranchiid behavior, as I cannot think of existing video footage of either of those squid in their natural environment<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Although the team\u2019s stated goal is to capture footage of an adult colossal squid in its natural environment, according to IFLScience, the camera filmed nearly 80 species<\/a>. Among them were giant volcano sponges, Antarctic sunflower stars, and many other marine invertebrates.<\/p>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ac3e01872aefc7ef7678324dedd5baab.jpeg\"\/)
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