Massive sea creature caught on video for first time ever

It was about 100 years ago when a massive sea creature was first discovered, dead.

Now, video of one very much alive has been captured.

According to a press release published by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, an expedition team has claimed the first-ever confirmed video footage of a colossal squid in the Southern Ocean near Antartica. Said footage was recorded in March.

The first time such a specimen was stumbled upon was in 1925: A pair of them were reduced to remains in the stomach of a sperm whale.

Now, you might be thinking: “Is a colossal squid just another name for a giant squid?” And the answer to that — terrifyingly enough — is “no.”

Te Papa explains how colossal squid are “shorter” than giant squids — meaning their arms and tentacles aren’t as long — but their bodies are bigger and heavier.

The size of the one captured on video is only just nearly a foot long, as it’s still just a baby. They are estimated to grow up to 23 feet in length, and can weigh up to 1,100 pounds, meaning they’re the heaviest invertebrate on Earth.

“It’s exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,” said Dr. Kat Bolstad from the Aukland University of Technology, one of the independent experts consulted to verify the footage.

“For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish.”

Another squid — the glacial glass squid — was caught on camera for the first time during the expedition, too.

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