Fisherman net record squid catch

BIGGER PICTURE See a massive pic of the massive squid. Enlarge Image

An enormous squid that is as long as a double-decker bus has been caught by fishermen in New Zealand.

The gigantic sea creature is about 10m long, weighs 450kg and is thought to be the first adult colossal squid that's been caught in one piece.

It was lunching on a hooked toothfish when it was reeled in by the fishermen in deep Antarctic waters.

The ship's captain said they decided to take the squid back to shore when they realised it was too ill to release.

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How a giant squid compares in size

It has now been frozen so it can be preserved for scientists to look at.

Colossal squid are thought to be about the same length as giant squid but are much heavier.

They were first identified in 1925, but very few examples have ever been found.

The first one recovered intact, a 150kg young female, was caught on the surface of the Ross Sea near the Antarctic coast in April 2004.