A Small Squid Makes a Big Discovery
An underwater robot films a young colossal squid alive in its natural deep-sea environment.
Estimated CEFR reading level: B1. Connected science reporting with measurement language and a distinction between observing a known species and discovering a new one. This is an editorial estimate, not an official certification.
Five useful words
British English pronunciation (IPA). Audio uses an available English voice on your device.
footage /ˈfʊtɪdʒ/
nounVideo recorded by a camera.
The camera captured footage of the bird.
juvenile /ˈdʒuːvənaɪl/
adjectiveYoung and not yet fully grown.
The juvenile turtle is much smaller than an adult.
habitat /ˈhæbɪtæt/
nounThe natural place where an animal or plant lives.
The forest is the animal's habitat.
remotely operated /rɪˌməʊtli ˈɒpəreɪtɪd/
adjective phraseControlled by someone who is in another place.
A remotely operated camera explores the tunnel.
confirm /kənˈfɜːm/
verbTo check and establish that something is correct.
An expert will confirm which species it is.
The story
On 15 April 2025, Schmidt Ocean Institute announced the first confirmed footage of a colossal squid alive in its natural environment. It had been filmed on 9 March near the South Sandwich Islands.
The squid was a juvenile, only about 30 centimetres long. Colossal means very large, but this animal was not a full-grown giant.
The team used SuBastian, a remotely operated underwater vehicle, at about 600 metres below the surface. People control this equipment from elsewhere; its cameras and instruments let them explore deep water.
Independent specialists helped confirm the animal's identity. Scientists already knew the species, so the team was not discovering a new species. What made the footage important was seeing a colossal squid alive in its own habitat. Researchers still need more observations to learn how these animals live.
Observation before announcement
- 9 March 2025The team films the juvenile squid near the South Sandwich Islands.
- Expert checkingIndependent specialists help confirm the identification.
- 15 April 2025The institute announces the confirmed observation.
An original simplified timeline. No date is assigned to the expert-checking step because the source does not specify one.
Three questions
Try answering before you open the answer. You can use your own words.
- Was the filmed squid an adult or a juvenile?
Show answer
It was a juvenile, about 30 centimetres long.
- What equipment filmed the animal, and at about what depth?
Show answer
The remotely operated vehicle SuBastian filmed it at about 600 metres.
- Did the team discover a previously unknown species?
Show answer
No. The species was already known; the milestone was confirmed footage of it alive in its natural environment.
Let's talk about it
A few ideas to chat about - pick any that interest you.
- What would you like an underwater robot to explore?
- How would you feel if you spotted an animal that scientists rarely see?
- Has an animal's name ever given you the wrong idea about what it looks like?
- Would you enjoy watching a live video from the deep ocean even if no animals appeared for a long time?
- What would make a short film of a rarely seen animal memorable to you?
Connecting two past events
Use past perfect for an earlier event: "The sighting had happened in March before the team announced it in April." Write a sentence about something that had happened before you heard about it.
Sources and context
An original learning article by Poly-Puff, written from the factual sources below. Sources checked on 4 October 2026. The artwork and learning activities were created for this article.
