A century since the giant squid was recognized, researchers have captured footage of a living example in its natural habitat for the first time, signifying a significant achievement in the study of the ocean depths.
In March, during a research expedition, a team from the Schmidt Ocean Institute embarked on their journey. Falkor (too) The vessel spotted the enigmatic creature close to the South Sandwich Islands, within the chilly abysses of the south Atlantic Ocean.
With a length of only 30 centimetres – far from its full potential size – the young squid was captured on video at a depth of 600 meters by a remote-operated vehicle. This ethereal, nearly see-through creature provided a remarkable look into one of the sea's least understood animals.
"It’s thrilling to witness the initial in situ "Footage of a young giant squid, which is both enormous and awe-inspiring, showing that these creatures seem unaware of our existence," stated Dr Kat Bolstad from the Auckland University of Technology, one of the independent specialists who authenticated the video.
Researchers stumbled upon the squid unintentionally.
Very little is understood about the lifecycle of the giant squid. Occasionally, dying adult specimens have been caught or captured on film. fishermen , however, none had ever been seen alive at this depth.
For a century, they have predominantly appeared among predator remnants as prey. whale "And they also noted the impact on seabird stomach contents and their role as predators of harvested toothfish," stated Bolsted.
Specialists think these creatures can reach lengths of up to seven meters and may tip the scales at around 500 kilograms, which makes them the heaviest invertebrates and biggest squids globally. When they develop into adults, young ones shed their translucent look and acquire a reddish tint.
This sighting is even more remarkable because it turned out to be somewhat of a fortunate mishap.
As stated by a representative from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the group’s main objective was to uncover new species of sea creatures rather than locate and capture footage of the giant squid.
In just three months, the team has discovered two new species.
The expedition in March was not the sole instance where the research team hit scientific pay dirt in 2025.
In January, the crew captured the initial verified video of the glacial glass squid in the Southern Ocean close to Antarctica - a new species never previously observed in its native environment.
According to Bolstad and Dr Aaron Evans, another independent expert who verified the footage, these two juvenile squids share several similarities. Both have transparent bodies and sharp hooks at the ends of their two longer tentacles. Unlike the colossal squid, however, the glacial glass squid lacks hooks in the middle of its eight arms.
The observation took place in the Bellingshausen Sea where researchers were examining the ocean floor exposed by a significant retreat. iceberg approximately the size of Chicago, separated from the George VI ice shelf. This separation exposed a formerly concealed area. ecosystem , illuminating the way how climate change is affecting the polar oceans And how little we understand about their depths.
"The initial observation of two distinct species of squid during consecutive missions is astonishing and highlights our limited understanding of the incredible creatures living in the Southern Ocean," stated Dr Jyotika Virmani, who serves as the executive director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Further revelations lie beneath the ocean depths.
The 35-day expedition The team responsible for capturing the footage of the giant squid was part of an initiative involving the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Deep Sea Science Program, and GoSouth—a collaborative effort among the University of Plymouth (UK), the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Germany), and the British Antarctic Survey.
Only 240,000 marine So far, only species have been recorded, with millions still awaiting discovery. The Schmidt Ocean Institute has contributed to addressing this shortfall.
The institute's remote-operated device, SuBastian, has recorded the initial verified video evidence of at least four types of squids in their natural habitat – such as the colossal squid and the glacial glass squid – with one more still under verification. This research is only scratching the surface.
“These indelible moments keep reminding us that the ocean is teeming with unsolved mysteries,” Virmani stated.