The Pacific Expansion of the Humboldt Squid

Once rarely seen north of San Diego 10 years ago, Humboldt Squid, Dosidicus gigas, are now seen as far north as Alaska. The recent growing hypoxic or low-oxygen zones in the Pacific Ocean have played a role in their expansion giving them a conduit to new habitats. In such zones, the Humboldt can thrive on just 10 percent of standard surface oxygen levels giving them a huge advantage over others that cannot stay in those zones for long. In recent years, these low oxygen zones, once found in deep water, have come closer to coastal areas. The Humboldts - intelligent, feeding in schools with a voracious appetite that includes a range of taste from krill to salmon - are having an impact on local fish stocks. Alarmed, scientists are beginning to study these once rare cephalopods.

Many researchers attribute the squid's recent success to the very climate, current and oxygen-level changes that have been hurting populations of other species in the diverse California Current.

"I find their adaptability and their perfection in dealing with anything nature throws at them to be a remarkable feature," says William Gilly, a professor of biology at Stanford University whose lab has spearheaded much of the U.S. work on Humboldt squid. "They're able to explore and take advantage of new environments that are compromised in any way." And they can move quickly, says John Field, a fisheries biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Southwest Fisheries Center, adding: "They're capable of very large migration patterns." Gilly's group recorded one squid that was tagged in Monterey, Calif., and last detected around Mexico 17 days later.

Source and more info:
Humboldt Squid Seem to Be Thriving--Thanks to Ocean Dead Zones: Scientific American

 

cool story

 

The squids are cool no doubt, but I am afraid to go swimming over here now. How exactly is this story 'cool?' It's scary, sad, thought-provoking... but cool? I don't see that. :-/

 

Wow!!! That's the animal I fear the most. Sharks don't bother me. Mantis don't bother me. Octopus don't bother me, not even blue ring octopi. Humboldt squid hunting as a pack DO scare me.

 

I watched a segment on them last night on Discovery. Rather eery to say the least. Quite the hunter and obviously able to adapt.

 

I have to disagree with the part they were rare here 10 years ago. For 20+ years there have been yearly/seasonal H Squid fishing trips. They weren't rare, but they are by far more prevalent now.

Nothing to be scared of Matt. You don't swim at night out at sea do you

 

Not in a while anyway.