The Red Devils
© 2003 MBARI
Some Like It Hot!
| Dazzling colour displays: The giant squid's skin is covered in chromatophores that flash white to fire-red shades in a split-second. Scientists think these squid may use these colour displays to communicate with each other. |
Why are the Red Devils here? Climate change is one theory. We've seen the signs before the squid — rising temperatures have already shifted the geographical distributions of species both on land and in water. The jumbo squid lives fast and dies young. This short generation time make it easier to adapt to changes in the food web brought on by global warming. And as the ocean's surface waters warm, less oxygen is available in the depths, creating a more favourable habitat for the low-oxygen loving squid.
Too hot to handle
In some cases, it might be the other way around – warm waters create problems for the squid. Some scientists think jumbo squid have invaded Californian waters to escape spreading low-oxygen waters. Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium are closely monitoring the squid situation in California and have created fantastic footage of these giant creatures.
Watch" The Fierce Humboldt Squid" video from QUEST (10 minutes)
Move over tuna, swordfish and sharks – the squid have arrived!
Jumbo squid may have found easy food in B.C. waters. B.C.'s traditional top predators, such as tuna, swordfish and sharks, are in decline due to overharvesting and the ecosystem effects of climate change. This means the jumbo squid have fewer competitors for smaller fish – fish that both the squids and humans find tasty.
Good at fishing: Jumbo squid are more aggressive hunters than B.C.'s top predator fish. These squid can hunt all season, feeding voraciously in order to sustain their incredible growth rate. Jumbo squid can eat just about anything: krill, shrimp, and fish. They can also turn cannibal and attack other jumbo squid, if they're hungry enough.
Squid sucking back salmon stocks?
Some scientists fear that the opportunistic squid may feed on salmon as they return to rivers to spawn. Are our salmon, at already perilously low populations, ready to combat climate change, habitat destruction, overfishing – and now jumbo squid?
Can we ever get rid of these squid? Should we make a serious attempt or are other marine invaders more worrisome?
>> Solve