Reports are circling about the infiltration of Humboldt, or Jumbo, squid into the waters just off San Diego. The creatures are being painted with severe language, casting them as man-eating terrors. But a researcher from University of Rhode Island states that the animals are far from being “aggressive 5-foot-long sea monsters.” [SFGate] He believes the Humboldt squid are actually quite timid creatures.
There is no doubt that the squid are a bit scary to behold. They grow to an average of 4 feet in length and can be up to 100 pounds. They possess a vicious beak and sharp tentacles. Divers in San Diego are allegedly reporting “tentacles enveloping their masks and yanking at their cameras and gear.” [SFGate]. And what’s more, in Mexico, they are said to have attacked humans and gained the nickname of red devil. The San Franscisco article goes on to detail that “those who dive with them there chum the water with bait and sometimes get in a metal cage or wear chain mail to avoid being lashed by tentacles.”
A point of note in that statement is the phrase “chum the water.” Any casual watcher of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week knows that chumming the water is a sure-fire way to incite a predator response. There is blood in the water, which translates to food. Of course it is dangerous to dive under such circumstances.
University of Rhode Island biologist Brad Seibel, leading researcher in the field of the squid, views such actions in a similar manner. “Private dive companies in Mexico play up this myth by insisting that their customers wear body armor or dive in cages while diving in waters where the squid are found. Many also encourage the squid's aggressive behavior by chumming the waters. I didn't believe the hype, but there was still some doubt in my mind, so I was a little nervous getting into the water with them for the first time," Seibel said. [EurekAlert]
Seibel considers the newest claims as alarmist, that the squids have an over-blown man-eating reputation. In 2007, he did a dive with a school of the Humboldt squid. While his diving light was on, they kept their distance, but as soon as it was off, they swam in for a closer look. His tale may explain why the squid in San Diego are so interested in the diver’s gear. Seibel detailed the fact that “the animals were also curious about other lights, like reflections off his metal equipment or a glow-in-the-dark tool that one squid briefly attacked.” [EurekAlert]
But a bright light was enough to scare them off completely. “Based on the stories I had heard, I was expecting them to be very aggressive, so I was surprised at how timid they were. As soon as we turned on the lights, they were gone,’ he said. [EurekAlert]
There is no doubt that safety must be a concern while swimming with Humboldt squid, just as there is with any other large animal. But Seibel believes that carrying an extra light should make swimming with them a safe experienced for well-trained divers, though that caution must always been taken when in the habitat of a large animal, even one that only dines on small fish and plankton. "However, I want to spread the word that they aren't the aggressive man-eaters as they have been portrayed," Seibel said. [EurekAlert]
This is a story that has already been told, but with another animal as the main character. Peter Benchley, author of Jaws, is often quoted on regretting the harm that the book and subsequent film caused to the public image of great white sharks. He spoke to National Geographic in 2002, saying, “We knew so little back then, and have learned so much since, that I couldn't possibly write the same story today. I know now that the mythic monster I created was largely a fiction. I also know now, however, that the genuine animal is just as—if not even more—fascinating."
While the Humboldt squid may prove dangerous, it is important that all creatures are considered with an intelligent perspective and respect.
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