A rare giant Architeuthis squid was spotted under fishing boats traversing the waters of Japan's Toyama Bay Christmas Eve, prompting one fisher to jump into the water to get a closer look, according to CNET.
"My curiosity was way bigger than fear, so I jumped into the water and go close to it," Akinobu Kimura told CNN. "This squid was not damaged and looked lively, spurting ink and trying to entangle his tentacles around me. I guided the squid toward to the ocean, several hundred meters from the area it was found in, and it disappeared into the deep sea."
Footage of the giant squid in action was caught using a submersible camera and, believe it or not, the squid is not even full-grown, measuring an estimated 3.7 meters (12.1 feet) long. Adults typically reach approximately 13 meters (43 feet) for females and 10 meters (33 feet) for males.
There were 16 reports of Architeuthis squid becoming trapped by fishing nets last season, according to Yuki Ikushi, who spoke with CNN. Ikushi is the curator of Uozu Aquarium in Uozu, Toyama, and claims this sighting marks the first of the season, which started in November and ends in March.
Photos of the elusive creature were first captured back in 2005 by Japanese researchers, which led to great excitement as many had been seeking a glimpse of the mysterious creature in its natural habitat for years, according to the New York Times.
Take a look at the amazing footage of the sea squid below.
