A sea creature “bigger than a human child” left a woman standing after it washed up on a beach.
Ali Paulus immediately took photos of the creature’s body, which showed the spiky tentacles and the sheer size of the cephalopod, which measured around 2.2 metres long without its arms extended.
The squid appeared to have suffered a cut, with a gash above its tentacle, which Ali assumed could have been caused by a boat propeller.
Residing in depths of between 300 and 1,000 metres, giant squids stand out as one of the most elusive creatures on the planet, rarely appearing near the surface.
Giant squids are one of the most elusive creatures on the planet
Sightings in the region are numerous, with the latest known one occurring in Cape Town in 2020, when a giant squid washed up on a beach.
The massive sea monster was said to be larger than a human child and left people shocked and in awe of the find.
The massive squid was found on Long Beach in Kommetjie, South Africa, at 7am on Saturday, April 30, by a local woman.
The squid appeared to have suffered an attack.
Sharing the photos on social media platform Instagram, Ali said: “Giant squid – Long Beach Kommetjie. It seems that not much is known about these creatures. There was limited consensus on the number of species.
“Species estimates for the entire genus vary. There are at least three distinct species, but there could be many more. The global distribution is wide and consistent with this sighting.
Ali was shocked to find the giant squid on the beach that morning.
“This guy looks like wood was taken out by a propeller.”
Many people were quick to comment on the strange find.
One person commented: “This is a very sad find for such an amazing animal. Beautiful photos as always.”
“Wow. This is unexpected. “What a shame for the Squid,” said another user.
Someone else said: “My God, what a sighting. роог