Japan researchers film live giant squid

[YankeyMCC]

(snip)
TOKYO --A Japanese research team has succeeded in filming a giant squid live -- possibly for the first time -- and says the elusive creatures may be more plentiful than previously believed, a researcher said Friday.

The research team, led by Tsunemi Kubodera, videotaped the giant squid at the surface as they captured it off the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo earlier this month. The squid, which measured about 24-feet long, died while it was being caught.

"We believe this is the first time anyone has successfully filmed a giant squid that was alive," said Kubodera, a researcher with Japan's National Science Museum. "Now that we know where to find them, we think we can be more successful at studying them in the future."

Giant squid, formally called Architeuthis, are the world's largest invertebrates. Because they live in the depths of the ocean, they have long been wrapped in mystery and embellished in the folklore of sea monsters, appearing in ancient Greek myths or attacking the submarine in Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."
(snip)

http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2006/12/22/japan_researchers_film_live_giant_squid/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News

That's disappointing to say the least that the animal died. But I still I must admit since it exists would be very interested in seeing this video.

[Pierre.Suave]

1. Not the first

I saw the actual first time on film over a year ago on the discovery channel. But this one was alive and in its natural habitat, not being dragged to the surface to die.

[Little Wing]

2. Clearly it's time to fire up the hunting ships

A 6 inch sliver of organ will be deemed to have aphrodesiac qualities, so 50 foot squid will be pulled out the ocean, have it removed, and tossed back in.

[Henryman]

3. Destroy the Village to Save it!!!???

"the elusive creatures may be more plentiful than previously believed"

I would say they are less plentiful now...by about one!

I know, I know, there's the argument you have to kill them to study them. I just don't believe it.

[seriousstan]

6. God forbid idiots in Asia believe it can make their little dicks 1/4" longer

or harder for 30 seconds, they will be wiped off the face of the earth.

[ashling]

4. Wrong. Not the first

Disney filmed a live Giant Squid in 1954 for its film 20000 Legos under the Sea :crazy:

:eyes:

:silly:

[xchrom]

5. so they just HAD to catch it?

there have been other architeuthis carcases --

why not film it and leave it alone?

[Benhurst]

7. They probably wanted to eat it to see if it was tastey as a whale.

:argh:

[formercia]

8. They're not good to eat.

Their flesh contains Ammonia. No problem with them being overfished.

[Nihil]

9. Doesn't usually stop them ...

Remember, these are people who deliberately eat very poisonous fish
just to gamble that they can afford chefs that leave out the nasty bit ...

Their next argument will be "They are killing too many fish so we will have to cull them".