![]() Rings of serrated chitin inside the giant squid's suckers provide its only defence against its greatest predator - sperm whales. It's unclear where in the water column giant squids live, but those that have accidentally been caught by trawlers indicate an estimated depth range of 300m to 1km. Although the Mediterranean Sea has seen three of the approximately 677 known giant squid sightings, the consensus is that these squids were not native to the area. Although it seems that the open ocean is the preferred habitat, connected seas, particularly the Tasman, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico also seem to be suitable habitats. The areas with the most giant squid specimens reported are Newfoundland, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Namibia, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. Giant squids are found in all the oceans, but seem to prefer temperate water temperatures and are more rare in polar and tropical oceans. ![]() ![]() This is the reason why almost all giant squids seen by humans have been badly injured or are dead - but that does not mean they aren't thriving in the deep ocean. Perhaps most critically, dissolved gases in the blood and tissue of the squid will come out of solution and form bubbles during decompression - something scuba divers refer to as "the bends". Even though giant squids do not have the gas-filled swim bladders of fish (more on that later) that are susceptible to traumatic injury when surfacing, the rapid changes in temperature and water chemistry of the upper ocean are not suitable for them. Unfortunately, deep-sea animals do not usually survive being brought rapidly to the surface, so those grabbed by predators, like whales, or snagged by fishing trawlers make poor study specimens for marine biologists. The animals taste with their tentacles, he said, and seemed to be touching him and his wet suit to determine if he was edible.The Two Oceans Aquarium's Japanese spider crabs are another excellent example of deep-sea gigantism. Roger Uzun, a veteran scuba diver and amateur underwater videographer, swam with a swarm of the creatures for about 20 minutes and said they appeared more curious than aggressive. The squid are too deep to bother swimmers and surfers, but many experienced divers say they are staying out of the surf until the sea creatures move on. "For all I know, I'm missing the experience of a lifetime." "I wouldn't go into the water with them for the same reason I wouldn't walk into a pride of lions on the Serengeti," said Mike Bear, a local diver. The squid, which is most commonly found in deep water from California to the bottom of south America, hunts in schools of up to 1,200 individuals, can swim up to 15 mph and can skim over the water to escape predators. Divers wanting to observe the creatures often bait the water, use a metal viewing cage or wear chainmail to avoid being lashed by the creature's tentacles. The so-called Humboldt squid, named after the current in the eastern Pacific, have been known to attack humans and are nicknamed "red devils" for their rust-red colouring and mean streak. Stories of close encounters with the squid have chased many divers out of the water and created a whirlwind of excitement among those torn between their personal safety and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with the deep-sea giants.
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