haterade: giant squid

Am I the only person who is just incredibly freaked out by the idea of the giant squid? I guess I'm a bit behind, but I had no idea these things were real. I recently found out that researchers from the Japan's National Science Museum actually caught one on film. And, unlike in Harry Potter, apparently giant squids are not likely to let you tickle their tentacles. This news has completely changed my entire perspective on life.

omigod

 Why I will have nightmares about giant squids tonight:

1. The one they got was 24 feet long, and it's a small one. They actually are estimated to reach nearly 60 feet in length, although they live so deep down in the ocean that they're very difficult to observe in the wild.

are you serious

2. They're vicious! I just read about a poor dead female who was dismembered and washed up on shore in Tazmania, apparently the victim of what can only be called squid rape. What's the world coming to. (By the way, I'm talking about a female squid, not human...eesh.)

3. Giant squids have beaks and circular saw-like suckers. I repeat: beaks & tentacles of death.

4. These things have only one known predator: Sperm whales. Sperm whales are the largest living animals with teeth. Moby Dick was one. They're huge and scary. And they're the only thing in the wild that can take on a giant squid. Sooo.

team sperm whale!

As you may recall, I get upset about animal extinction. But if all giant squids were suddenly to collectively disappear from the face of the earth, I think I'd get over.

Great news! There's another species of squid out there know as the Colossal Squid, which may or may not be scarier than the Giant Squid. Well, that's fun.