The giant squid has been described as one of the most elusive creatures of the sea, and classified as the largest invertebrate on planet Earth. In fact, it wasn't until 2004 that researchers were ever able to even film one of the massive sea monsters in its natural habitat, and very rarely have they been glimpsed over the years, aside from corpses washing ashore from time to time.
So you can imagine the surprise of one Japanese fisherman, when he unexpectedly netted one of the elusive creatures last week.
As reported by The Huffington Post, Shigenori Goto is the man who made the rare catch, while he was fishing for yellowtails off Japan's Sadogashima Island. Around 7am, Goto spotted the giant male squid, catching it in his net and dragging it to the surface. Unfortunately, the 13-foot long, 350-pound beast died soon after it was taken out of its natural habitat, though researchers still say the catch will prove to be incredibly useful for them.
Below you'll find video footage taken of the terrifying monster, which you probably shouldn't watch if you've got a fear of the things that go splash in the night!
It's estimated that giant squid can grow to sizes of 43-feet long, making this guy a mere baby in comparison. A frightening thought, isn't it?!