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A rare giant squid has been caught by fishermen off the coast of Japan.
Measuring 11 feet in length, the creature was hauled from its home in waters deep off the coast of the Tottori Prefecture during a trawl for crabs and flatfish.
It was alive when the fishermen brought it on board the boat but died before reaching the mid-west coast of Japan, this week.
According to the San’in Kaigan Nature Museum in Tottori, the squid could have measured around eight metres (26 ft) had its tentacles been intact.
The museum said giant squids are known to inhabit deep sea waters between 300 metres (980 ft) to 1,500m (4,920ft), but the giant squid was caught 240m (790ft) underwater.
Researcher Toshifumi Wada said giant squids are rarely caught during trawl fishing.
“This shows that the squid was swimming at that depth, so I think this is significant,” he told broadcaster NTV.
Tottori prefecture is making plans to preserve the squid for research.
The case follows a series of reports of giant squids found near Japan’s coastline.
A dead giant squid was reported to have washed ashore a beach in Kashiwazaki city in Niigata prefecture last Sunday. Earlier this month, two other giant squids have been reported to be caught in fixed fishing nets.
Canadajournal/AP
