#586-587 The Humboldt Squid

 Fun Fact #586

A Haunting of Red Devils

First discovered by Chilean Priest Juan Ignacio Molina in 1782, the Humboldt Squid is one of the fastest, numerous and dangerous Squids on earth.  

They are best known for holding the record for forming the largest grouping of any carnivorous animal on the planet with shoals often reaching up to 1,200 confirmed individuals.  Since 2007 it has been proven that these squid coordinate their hunts as when they spot prey they often “Flicker” red and white with their monochromatic skin, which alerts and attracts the rest of the shoal. Giving them the name “Diablos Rojos” meaning “Red Devils”. 

They are also known for their near constant hunger as they have to grow to maturity within their short lifespan of 1-2 years. Which is difficult considering a mature Humboldt is around 5 feet in mantle length (Not counting arms and tentacles), thus explaining why they often are known for their aggression. When hunting they’ll often swim up close before “Dashing” at their prey with all 8 of their arms spread out in a cone while their tentacles (different than the other 8 arms) stretch out quickly grabbing prey and bringing them in to the squid’s tough beak and Radula (toothed tongue), while their hooked tentacles keep their prey from escaping. They are so quick at this process it has become a nuisance to fishermen for stripping fish clean before they can be reeled in --explaining their other nickname "The Flying Squid". 

Yet worst of all is their intelligence –in particular their problem solving ability. This often presents itself as curiosity on behalf of the squids with many researchers having said they are friendly during the day, but between dusk and dawn (feeding time) they become aggressive, taking down prey and even cannibalizing their own as they travel to the water surface in search of prey

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Juvenile Humboldt caught off the Californian Coast (52Ib) taken January 4th, 2013 (Wikimedia Commons, owner is an account named “Fish_Guy”)

Fun Fact #587

They are coming! 

Although we mentioned the Humboldt yesterday we failed to discuss a terrifying detail. It is one of the few known animals on the earth to frequently hunt humans, and the only one that commonly gets away with it. While Orcas, Tigers, and Lions have been known to kill people, it's often out of desperation roused by hunger and they are usually hunted down before their reign of terror can really get going, but the Humboldts are different. Their shoals of 1,200 means it's hard to pin down individuals who consume humans and worse yet there is (circumstantial) evidence to show they teach each other how to hunt –the only squid known to do so. 

Thankfully during the day they are more like Curious George than bloodthirsty monsters, often checking out anyone they come across. Yet during their feeding time from dusk till dawn they rise to the surface becoming aggressive. Primarily they eat fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, and copepods, but have also been known to attack swimmers and divers. Thankfully they are usually unsuccessful with larger prey since during feeding time they spread out, and their brains (located just above the eye) are only protected by cartilage meaning a good hit can easily stun or kill individuals. If this happens, just know a dead squid loses its coloration becoming a ghostly pale white, but those with coloration are still alive –and they tend to wake up quick. So swim swiftly away before another squid decides to try its luck.

Knowing this it might be relaxing to know that until recently these Cranky Krackens were limited to Chile and Peru, but that’s recently changed since their natural competition has experienced a population decline. Last year they were discovered to have spread as far north as the Salish Sea (which borders Vancouver and Washington state), while their advance has moved them south as far as Tierra Del Fuego (The archipelago at the south west tip of South America). Meaning they are likely to cross over into the Atlantic ocean for the first time this winter while the southern hemisphere is in summer. … So it sounds like the Falklands will be getting a shoal of Kraken for Christmas (Thanks Santa???).

Thankfully two things have been shown to halt these squid in their tracks. Mexican Fisheries have gotten so good at catching using a method called “Jigging” these fish that they have nearly gone extinct in The Gulf Of California with most of the calamari on market in Europe, Africa, and China having come from Humboldt being sold as Jumbo Calamari (Squid Steaks in the US). Then there’s the curious fact that the Red Algae native to the Canadian west coast seems to cause a severe allergic reaction in the squid often resulting in the squid dying and whole shoals have been known to fall victim to the Algae dampening the Humboldt’s endless march northwards.