Scientists thaw out monster squid in New Zealand

New Zealand marine scientists are thawing the corpse of the largest squid to be caught, in an attempt to unlock some of the secrets of one of the ocean’s most mysterious beasts.

The 78-stone, 26ft long squid was removed from its freezer yesterday and put into a tank filled with saline solution – the first step of a plan that will eventually put it on public display.

Ice will be added to the tank today to slow the thawing process so the outer flesh does not start rotting before the animal is fully defrosted, says Carol Diebel, director of natural environment at New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa.

Tomorrow, squid specialists Steve O’Shea and Kat Bolstad of Auckland’s University of Technology will begin a detailed examination of the creature, along with Tsunemi Kubodera of Japan’s National Museum of Nature and Science.

Ms Diebel said the trio would examine the squid’s general anatomical features, take measurements, remove the stomach, beak and other mouth parts, take tissue samples for DNA analysis and determine the beast’s sex.

“If we get ourselves a male it will be the first reported (scientific) description of the male of the species,” Mr O’Shea said on National Radio.

The squid is believed to be the largest specimen of the rare and mysterious deep-water species Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, or colossal squid, ever caught, he says.

Larger animals may still be out there.

Experts say the creatures, which have long been one of the most mysterious denizens of the deep ocean, may grow up to 46ft long. They can descend to 6,500 feet and are known to be aggressive hunters.

No-one has ever seen a living, grown specimen in its natural ocean habitat and the work starting tomorrow will help scientists determine how it lived.

Soon after it was caught in fishing nets last February, Mr O’Shea said it would make calamari rings the size of tractor tyres if cut up – but that they would taste like ammonia, a compound that accumulates in the animals’ flesh.

The squid was frozen on the fishing vessel to preserve it within two hours of its capture in the Ross Sea, off Antarctica’s northern coast.

The plan is to eventually put it on display in a 1,800-gallon tank of formaldehyde.

The examination of the colossal squid and two other smaller animals is being broadcast live on the internet.