The Great Sea Monster Mystery

    Stories of giant sea monsters scared sailors for thousands of years. These ugly beasts were often described a lot like the one that attacked Picot’s boat. They used their tentacles to grab sailors off the deck and eat them. They dragged entire ships down to the bottom of the sea. The most famous of these monsters was known as the kraken. 

    For a long time, scientists thought these stories were just tall tales. But there were hints that the kraken—or something like it—was real. Whalers found huge tentacles inside the bellies of sperm whales. Dead creatures with long, twisty arms washed up on beaches. 

    In 1873, Picot brought his tentacle back for scientists to study it. The discovery helped them decide that the kraken might just be an animal called the giant squid.

    For thousands of years, sailors shared scary stories of sea monsters. These monsters used their tentacles to grab sailors and eat them. They dragged ships down to the bottom of the sea. The most famous of these monsters was known as the kraken.

    For a long time, scientists thought these stories were just tall tales. But there were hints that the sea monsters might be real. Huge tentacles were found inside the bellies of sperm whales. Dead creatures with long arms washed up on beaches.

    In 1873, Picot took his tentacle to scientists. They studied it. It made them think the kraken might be real. It might be an animal called the giant squid.

    Stories of gigantic sea monsters terrified sailors for thousands of years. Often, these ugly beasts were described in a similar way to the one that attacked Picot’s boat. They snatched sailors off decks with their tentacles and ate them. They dragged entire ships down to the bottom of the ocean. The kraken was the most famous of these monsters. 

    For a long time, scientists regarded these stories as just tall tales. But hints suggested that the kraken—or something like it—actually existed. Whalers discovered enormous tentacles inside the bellies of sperm whales, and dead creatures with long, twisty arms washed ashore. 

    In 1873, Picot brought his tentacle to scientists. After studying it, the scientists realized that the kraken might just be an animal called the giant squid.

    Most squid are easy to find. They live in the sea. They’re soft-bodied creatures with eight arms and two tentacles. Most are no bigger than 2 feet long. 

    But in the 1960s, teams of scientists started searching for live giant squids. They didn’t have much luck. Giant squids may grow as long as 60 feet—longer than a school bus. Yet no one could find one alive! 

    There are good reasons that giant squid are hard to find. They live thousands of feet below the surface of the ocean. They have huge eyes—larger than those of any other animal. These eyes allow them to see danger, even where there’s very little light. 

    Over time, some scientists gave up trying to find adult giant squid. They searched for babies instead. In 2001, American squid hunter Steve O’Shea caught about a dozen of them. Each was around the size of a cricket. 

    O’Shea’s plan was to raise these babies in captivity. But by the time he reached shore, all of them were dead.

    Most squid are easy to find. They live in the sea. They have soft bodies. They have eight arms and two tentacles. Most are no more than 2 feet long. 

    But in the 1960s, scientists started looking for giant squids that were alive. Giant squids may grow as long as 60 feet. That’s longer than a school bus. Yet no one could find one alive! 

    Why are giant squid hard to find? They live thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. They have the largest eyes of any animal. Their eyes let them see danger, even where there’s very little light. 

    Over time, some scientists stopped trying to find adult giant squid. They searched for babies instead. Steve O’Shea is an American squid hunter. In 2001, he caught about a dozen baby squid. Each was about the size of a cricket. 

    O’Shea planned to raise the babies in captivity. But they were dead by the time he reached shore.

    Most squid are easy to find. They live in the sea. These soft-bodied creatures, most of which are no bigger than 2 feet long, have eight arms and two tentacles.

    But in the 1960s, when teams of scientists began searching for live giant squids, they had little luck. Though giant squids may grow as long as 60 feet—longer than a school bus—no one could find one alive! 

    The reality is that giant squid are difficult to find. They live thousands of feet below the surface of the ocean. And they have huge eyes, larger than those of any other animal, which allow them to see danger even where there’s very little light.

    Over time, some scientists gave up searching for adult giant squid. They looked for babies instead. In 2001, American squid hunter Steve O’Shea caught about a dozen of them, each roughly the size of a cricket. 

    O’Shea was planning on raising the babies in captivity—but by the time he reached shore, they had all died.

    For years, a team of Japanese squid hunters had tried to get help from a pod of sperm whales. They knew these whales feed on giant squid. So the scientists found where the whales hunted. They put some tasty shrimp on a line of hooks. They attached a camera to the line and dropped it 3,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. Then they watched and waited.

    On September 30, 2004, a 26-foot-long creature finally came up from the depths. Its eyes were as big as basketballs. It had eight flapping arms and two long tentacles. It attacked the shrimp and got caught on a hook. 

    The squid struggled. Finally it broke free, leaving an 18-foot tentacle behind. But for more than four hours, the camera had been taking photos. They were the first pictures ever of a giant squid. 

    The mystery of the kraken had finally been solved. But no one has been able to capture an adult giant squid alive yet. In some ways, it’s not surprising. About 80 percent of the ocean has not been explored. 

    The giant squid is out there. We know it’s real.

    Maybe someday you’ll be the one to find it. 

    A team of Japanese squid hunters hoped that sperm whales would help them find a giant squid. These whales feed on giant squid. So the scientists went to where a pod of these whales hunted. They put some shrimp on a line of hooks. They attached a camera to the line. They dropped it 3,000 feet down into the ocean. Then they watched and waited.

    On September 30, 2004, a 26-foot-long creature came up from the depths. Its eyes were as big as basketballs. It had eight long arms and two long tentacles. It attacked the shrimp. It got caught on a hook. 

    The squid broke free. But it left an 18-foot tentacle behind. The camera on the line took photos. They were the first pictures ever of a giant squid. 

    This proved that the giant squid was real. Still, no one has captured an adult one alive. That’s no surprise. About 80 percent of the ocean has not been explored. 

    The giant squid is out there. Maybe someday you’ll be the one to find it. •

    A team of Japanese squid hunters had tried for years to get help from a pod of sperm whales. These whales feed on giant squid, so the scientists found where the whales hunted. They put some tasty shrimp on a line of hooks, attached a camera to the line, and dropped it 3,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. Then they watched—and waited.

    On September 30, 2004, a 26-foot-long creature—with eyes as big as basketballs, eight flapping arms, and two long tentacles—finally rose from the depths. It then got caught on the hook as it attacked the shrimp. 

    The squid struggled until it finally broke free, leaving behind an 18-foot tentacle. But for more than four hours, the camera had been taking photos—the first pictures ever of a giant squid. 

    Finally, the mystery of the kraken had been solved. Even so, no one has been able to capture an adult giant squid alive. That’s not surprising when you consider that about 80 percent of the ocean has not been explored. 

    But the giant squid is out there—and it’s real.

    Maybe someday you’ll be the one to find it. •