Giant Squid Washed up on Beach

Chronicle (Levin), 30 January 1948, Page 4

Giant Squid Washed up on Beach

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DUNEDIN, Jan. 29. What is thought to be a giant squid . — -the largest ever seen in New Zealand waters — Was washed up on the isolated Pipikaretu beach at the end of Otago Peninsula, early this * week, at which time high seas were running. The marine monster is partially buricd in the sand and its fairly advanced state of deconiposition made it difficult to ascertain the exact shape or for that matter, identity. Giant squibs, which are possibly the basis for the Maori 's taniwha, legends, have been east up on the New Zealand coastline before but no record exists of one to compare with the latest arrival. The approximate measurements of the longest tentaeles — two enormous arms which distinguish the decapod — indicate that they were slightly over 30 fet and about the thickness of a man's thigh. The overall length of the great-grey heap of flesh is about 40 feet. It has .the appearance of being covered with coarse hair but this Is actuallv librous tissue presumably resulting from the action of the sea during an .estimated month or more of ' hnmersion since tlie creature's death. Tt shows no signs of mauling in condiet but a fdll examination is impossible unless some means is devised of clearing away the sand and turning the yast flaccid bulk over. The fact that giant squids have only beeome ^cientifically accepted during the past 50 to 60" years, means that v eomparatively little data is available. It is possible, in view of the fact that spenn whales which feed on such Cephalopods, exist in the. waters soutli of New Zealand, the crCature has drifted . north on some .'current. Specimens of the flesh'" of the monster have been obtained for zoological investigation. . :