The first ever video of a giant squid was released in December. Unfortunately, the squid was killed while being hauled aboard the Japanese research vessel that captured it. Researchers have been unable to find live giant squid until recently and have relied on partially decomposed specimens that have washed ashore or have been found in the stomachs of whales and sharks. The squid in the video is only 24 feet long, which is small compared to the length of the longest giant squid on record (60 feet!). While it’s sad that the squid in the video died, new estimates show that the species is probably not in danger. They’re a primary food source for sperm whales, and based on estimates of the sperm whale population, there are probably at least 200,000 giant squids. If giant squid are so big, why can’t we find them? One theory is that they’re camera shy. My theory is that they’re too too big-headed to want to slum on home videos… Or is that big-mantled?

On a sadder note, the Baiji river dolphin was declared functionally extinct in December. I became a fan of the Baiji via Douglas Adams‘ 1990 naturalist masterpiece Last Chance to See, where Adams and zoologist Mark Carwardine document their journey to visit highly endangered species around the world. Douglas Adams visited the polluted Yangtze River, the home of the Baiji, and discussed the species which was threatened not only by pollution, but due to hunting, fishing, collisions with boats, habitat loss, and severe depression. (Okay, I’m just guessing about that last one.) In Last Chance to See, Douglas Adams wrote, “The great thing about being the only species that makes a distinction between right and wrong, is that we can make up the rules for ourselves as we go along.” So, RIP, Baiji friends - someday we’ll either make better choices, or join you on the extinct list.

And, from things that have ended to things that might never existed, I wonder, what do you know about the Loch Ness monster? You might know that Nessie is rumored to be a plesiosaur. In December, a well-preserved fossil of a juvenile plesiosaur was uncovered in Antarctica. While a believable theory is that a massive volcanic eruption may have enabled the exceptional preservation of the skeleton, nine out of ten conspiracy theorists agree that it must be a hoax. Could a young Loch Ness plesiosaur have died and been buried to cover up the existence of a herd of Nessies in Scotland? Could this all have to do with a plot to allow dinosaurs to once more inherit the earth after the impending nuclear holocaust? Probably not, but it would make a pretty awesome B-movie. (Directors, please contact me for more exciting plot details!)

And a personal note: I apologize that December wasn’t a very active month for this blog. The holidays have been awesome, and now I’m looking forward to some great new stuff here at Attack of the Monkey in 2007! I hope you can come back for lots more scienterrific posts!