September 30 / 2004

Japanese researchers have taken photos of a real Giant Squid for the first time in history. They dropped a baited line down 2950 feet where a Giant Squid grabbed the hook. They were fighting the squid for 4 hours and managed to take 556 photos at different depths including one very special picture of the squid on the surface. The camera was on the fishing line.

The Giant Squid eventually ripped off its own tentacle and swam back down to the depths of the ocean.

This Giant Squid is 25 feet long. They have found dead Giant Squid off of Australia and New Zealand that were up to 43 feet long. Whale researches have found wounds on Sperm Whales, which suggest Giant Squid could reach over 100-feet long.

Tsunemi Kubodera and Kyoichi Mori of Japan took the pictures.