Holy calamari!
 

http://www.news.com.au/newsstory/squid200.jpg

A giant squid, which may be a new species, has been washed up on a Hobart beach.

The 200kg monster, which normally lives in the deep, was found on Seven Mile Beach near Hobart Airport on the weekend and taken to the Tasmanian Museum in a trailer.

The museum's senior curator of zoology David Pemberton said such a squid was extremely rare and only two others have been washed up in Tasmania.

Crikey!

I heard from the news last night, that the squid was alive when found at the beach. But I couldn't find out, what scientists did to it when they took it for examination. Was the animal still alive or did they kill it?

I started to wonder, what scientists would do, if they'll found a totally new and very rare species. Do they keep the sample alive or would they kill it before examining it even if the creature would be the only one left from its kind?

Giant squid (Architeuthis) usually live at 500 + metres deep.

One found alive at the surface won't be in the greatest of shape and anyhow you behard pressed to create aquarium conditions sutible to house it!

I've read multiple times that it was dead when they found it. Squid don't generally wash up on the beach when they're still alive, I'm guessing.

As far as whether or not to kill it, my best guess is that they would keep it alive and observe it as long as possible. It's going to die some day, and that's when they can perform an autopsy and examine it. If they find it alive, they can always make it dead later. But they can't undo that. I'm guessing they'd keep it alive.

If only because of the smell...

Who ordered the calamari?
 

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com...3892568128.jpg

Thousands of dead jumbo squid cover the beach at La Jolla Cove in JaLolla, California about 15 miles north of San Diego, July 26, 2002. Scientists believe the squid were following prey (possibly grunion, a small fish) and washed ashore alive but were unable to get back into the water and died. City work crews were called to help remove nine tons of dead squid. REUTERS/Mike Blake

I'm gonna be incredibly suspicious the next time I go to BD's Mongolian Barbeque.

I'm assuming that because they've been sitting in the sun that they are unsuitable for consumption?
Bummer...