How about Australia set itself the task of raising the first Giant Squid. Babies have been caught and taken to labs but all attempts to keep them alive in tanks have failed. Other than a few dead smelly bodies washed up on beaches no full sized monster has ever been caught on film. No living specimen despite the mass of these Kraken's being thought to outweigh that of humanity. Would be quite a coup for Australia if we were to become the first to show one off to the World.

We know they are there. They get eaten by Sperm Whales and leave big tentacle sucker marks on their foe's. Their eyes are the size of dinner plates. Their bodies measure the length of a footy pitch or something like that. Cryptozoologists love to quote Old Man Squid as an example of a giant beastie which has so far eluded science.

With a decent budget I'm sure we could bag a medium sized specimen and equip a pool for it. Arrrr! All I needs is some swift submersibles, a big net, a crew, a stout ship, 6 months supply of Bundaberg Rum and I'll net that sea monster for certain. Arrr!

Shiver me timbers! Beaten to it by the Japanese. Curse their hides! Arrrr!

One giant squid is filmed; many more to be found?
Associated Press.
23 Dec 2006

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003491738_squid23.html?syndication=rss

"We believe this is the first time anyone has successfully filmed a giant squid that was alive," said Kubodera, a researcher with Japan's National Science Museum. "Now that we know where to find them, we think we can be more successful at studying them in the future."

Japanese caught this Giant Squid just south of Tokyo earlier this month. Around the time I posted this topic. Unfortunately it died. Probably from injuries incurred while pulling it in. So although the first filming of a large specimen has now taken place, a successful live capture hasn't.

But I guess the Japanese will soon grab the glory for that record too.