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The Rare Antarctic Gonate Squid Has Been Caught on Film for the First Time

Over 125 years after its identification, the Antarctic gonate squid was finally filmed in its natural habitat.
ByCaLea Johnson|
First live sighting of massive Antarctic squid caught on camera by Nat Geo
First live sighting of massive Antarctic squid caught on camera by Nat Geo | Good Morning America

In March 2025, researchers finally captured a young colossal squid on camera 100 years after it was identified. Now, another rare species of cephalopod, the Antarctic gonate squid, has been filmed for the first time in the depths of the Southern Ocean. You can see the groundbreaking footage in the video above.

Scientists discovered the squid while on a “Perpetual Planet” expedition organized by National Geographic and Rolex. The aim of the project is to examine the environmental systems most impacted by climate change and find solutions to mitigate harm. While exploring waters near Antarctica aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, the Falkor (too), researchers found themselves investigating a site they didn’t originally plan to visit. They had delayed their voyage into the Powell Basin due to dangerously icy conditions and stopped at its edge instead. 

What their remotely-operated vehicle recorded, there was a gorgeous, reddish-blue squid floating about 7000 feet below sea level. Kat Bolstad, a cephalopod specialist at New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology, confirmed the creature was indeed an Antarctic gonate squid after examining the footage. Using the ROV’s lasers, researchers on the expedition were able to measure the animal’s size at three feet, though its sex and age are a mystery. Experts also noticed large hooks on the animal's longest tentacles that may be used to capture prey.

This particular specimen was sporting some battle scars. Fresh marks on its mantle may indicate recent brawls with other species. The scientists noticed additional wounds from suckers, which they believe may have been caused by a young colossal squid.

Swedish zoologist Einar Lönnberg was the first to identify the Antarctic gonate squid in 1898. He did so after capturing specimens on a trip to Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago in the southern part of South America. Before the “Perpetual Planet” expedition, experts have only observed the species dead in nets and inside animal stomachs. This latest discovery is a major step toward understanding the creatures’ mysterious lives in the ocean depths.

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