Marine scientists of New Zealand on Tuesday April 29, 2008 were thawing the corpse of a squid weighing 1000 pounds to know the secrets of the marine animal. The squid weighs 1,089 pounds and measures 26 foot long. Till now, no one has ever seen how squids live deep inside the sea and scientists believe that their experiment will help them demystify the secrets associated with this creature. The thawing of the squid can be seen live on the internet.

 

The squid was caught last year in February by fishermen and on Monday it was dipped into a saline solution. Ice was added today so that the liquefying process slows down. The addition of ice would also prevent the outer flesh from rotting. Carol Diebel, the director of natural environment in New Zealand said that after the squid is liquefied the scientists will conduct their experiment. They will remove its stomach and beak and other mouth parts. The scientists will also take its tissue samples for DNA analysis which will help them to know the sex of the squid.

 

Steve O'Shea, a squid expert at Auckland's University of Technology said that it may be one of the largest specimen of Colossal squid which can grow up to 46 feet long and can survive even at a depth of 6500 feet below the ocean. The squid was frozen when caught by the fishermen as they believed it to be a rare find. Later Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum of New Zealand took it under its possession. The scientists are even planning to display the squid in Wellington.