FINDING THE COLOSSAL SQUID
This elusive creature spawned a legend of a deep-sea monster that endured for centuries
WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD
The legend of the ship-sinking kraken struck fear into the hearts of sailors for hundreds of years. But while the kraken itself is a work of fiction, the real-life creature it’s based on – the colossal squid – hides thousands of metres below the ocean’s surface and munches on marine life rather than mariners. There are two species of squid tied to the legend. First, there’s the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), which lurks more than 2,000 metres below the surface of Antarctica’s waters. These giants of the sea can weigh up to 495 kilograms and grow up to 14 metres long, including their tentacles. Searching for a fish supper, the colossal squid uses its long tentacles to snatch and wrap up its prey before tearing it to pieces and ingesting it.