I am sure many of you have seen the recent news about the recent invasion of Humboldt (or "jumbo") squids off of the coast of California.
An
article I read today raises some interesting points. A great deal of the press coverage about Humboldt squids have been labeling them as "sea monsters" who are "attacking."
The Humboldt definitely gets a bad rap. Even before the California squid invasion, I noticed this after a recent visit to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The 3D IMAX film
Into the Deep was a highlight of the visit to the museum, but a scene featuring Humboldt squids called them "the stuff nightmares are made of." How true are these descriptions?
As the article points out, Humboldt squids can be aggressive, but are by no means "man-eating!" Squid researcher Brad Seibel (of the University of Rhode Island) describes the Humboldt squid as "timid" and "curious." Seibel claims that many things contribute to the fierce characterization of Humboldts -- including cage diving amongst the squids and chumming the water to purposefully churn them up! Research has shown the creatures to be aggressive when feeding, but passive most other times.
Let's help educate others about the Humboldt squid by correcting the common misinformation out there!
