Colossal squid caught on camera for the first time

A colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) has been filmed alive in its natural environment for the first time—100 years after the species was first discovered. The sighting was announced on April 16, 2025, by the Schmidt Ocean Institute.

• The squid observed was a juvenile, approximately 1 foot (30 centimeters) long, recorded at a depth of 1,968 feet (600 meters) near the South Sandwich Islands in the south Atlantic Ocean.

• This historic encounter coincides with the centennial anniversary of the species’ initial identification.

Colossal squids

• Adult colossal squids—previously known only through specimens recovered from the stomachs of whales and seabirds—can reach lengths of up to 23 feet (7 meters), making them the largest known invertebrates on Earth.

• While juveniles are nearly transparent with delicate, thin limbs, adults develop a robust, opaque reddish or purplish hue.

About Squids

• Squids are cephalopod mollusks—marine animals known for their elongated, tubular bodies, eight arms, and two longer tentacles.

• As members of the Cephalopoda class (which also includes octopuses, cuttlefish, and nautiluses), squids are famed for their intelligence, swift swimming, and unique method of propulsion by expelling water in jets.

• This first-ever live footage offers researchers a rare glimpse into the elusive life of one of the ocean’s most mysterious giants.

(Source: BBC)