NOAA squid
We’re all fascinated by mysteries of the deep, so the recent news from the Discovery Channel that new video is expected to air in January of a giant squid in its natural habitat has jumpstarted the buzz among anglers. Squid have been found or brought up dead and studied in the past, but this footage of a live giant squid “with eyes the size of dinner plates” is a true first, Discovery says.
Discovery will air Monster Squid: The Giant is Real at 10 p.m. Sunday, January 27. I think I’ll stay up late for that one.
I stumbled over this squid news as I was reading another interesting bottom-of-the-ocean story from Deep-Sea News, an independent scientific blog site. Apparently, some research scientists processing bycatch during a New Zealand lobster stock assessment found insects inside the gut cavities of six different fish that were pulled from depths of 1,300 feet!
A silverside, Bollons’ rattail, Jock Stewart, dark ghost shark, javelin fish and an Oliver’s rattail had all consumed either a scarab beetle or a weevil, Deep-Sea news reported. The blog goes on to consider the various plausible scenarios, saying the most likely is that the bugs simply sank as debris to the seafloor. I wonder how long it would take for a bug to descend to 1,300 feet?
As I ponder that unusual news, I’m reminded not only of the “gee-whiz” allure of deep-sea secrets but also of the “amen” respect that must be encouraged for that environment. Like rain forests, rivers and estuaries, the deep sea is a habitat linked to all of life. As we unravel its riddles, let’s not forget to revere it.
