Scientists baffled by dead jumbo squid

4:13 a.m. March 18, 2005

DANA POINT – Dead jumbo squid are again mysteriously washing up along Orange County's coastline, baffling scientists who are trying to find out why.

The Ocean Institute in Dana Point has conducted some of the research, shipping specimens to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Stanford University for further study.

Scientists at the institute this week dissected a 5-foot-long, 15-pound female Humboldt squid that was filled with parasites and sand. More than a 100 squid have been spotted since Sunday between Dana Point and San Clemente.

Still, there are no answers.


These little puppies are the distant cousins of the GIANT squid of maritime legend that battle it out with sperm whales in the struggle for supremacy of the deep. I think one attacked Cpt. Nemo once, too. Even one of these smaller jumbo squid could probably mess you up pretty bad if it really got ahold of you.

See the rest of the story from above at this link.

dead jumbos

Just a thought but could this be attributed to the correction of the 'Earth Wobble' by the Decemeber 2004 Asian Earthquake?

I was wondering, too, if it was some kind of sonar disruption, like was being investigated in the beaching of dolphins and pilot whales in the southeast recently.

A magnetic field disruption could work along the same lines, though, to sicken or disorient these gelatinous creatures.

Originally posted by Icarus Rising
4:13 a.m. March 18, 2005

Scientists at the institute this week dissected a 5-foot-long, 15-pound female Humboldt squid that was filled with parasites and sand. More than a 100 squid have been spotted since Sunday between Dana Point and San Clemente.

Parasites arent good... I dought this has anything to do the the asian incident.

Fraser

i hear they dont taste that good, too rubbery

Solarity - I was wondering if the parasites got in with the sand post mortem, or if they could be the cause of death. The article doesn't clarify that point. It would be interesting to know where they come into the picture, so to speak.

I don't think this has to do with the wobble. I recall this happening in the past.

it's like whales beaching themselves. it happens, we have no explanation.

i remember reading somewhere that one reason that the squids surfaces is because of a change in water bouyancy due to the salt content of the water or something similar

I did have a killer link to this but the site is down for maintenence. Darnit.

The squid are much further north than they should be and no one knows why. They are very intelligent and are believed to hunt in packs. One will distract you while another sneaks up from behind.

All legs and one giant beak that want nothing more than to take a hunk out of you to see if you're edible.

I'll check the link again tomorrow and see if its up and working again. I found it to be a VERY interesting read.

Love and light,

Wupy