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July 11, 2007

Get a load of this!

BY: nikki

Scientists are calling the rare giant squid found by a beach walker on a remote Australian shore “a whopper,” and with a body alone that measures about six-and-a-half feet in length, who can blame them?

Giant squid are thought to live in depths of roughly 660 to 2,300 feet, feeding on other squid and fish. It’s pretty dark a half-mile below the water’s surface, which is likely why a giant squid’s eyeballs have evolved to the size of volleyballs – the largest set of peepers in the animal kingdom.

This isn’t the first cephalopod to rear its prominent head in recent years. Fishermen off the coast of New Zealand landed the first live colossal squid, the biggest squid known to man, back in February. Japanese researchers snapped the first photos of a live giant squid back in 2004.

The ocean is full of mystery and wonder as new discoveries are being made practically every day. With so much left to uncover, it’s only natural we’d fight to save this brilliant ecosystem.