Scientists Detect an Elusive Giant Squid and Many Other Surprising Marine Animals Near Western Australia Thanks to DNA in the Water
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Researchers have detected a giant squid and various other marine species off the coast of Western Australia using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. This method allows scientists to identify species present in deep-sea canyons without direct observation. The study revealed a total of 226 species, including some not previously recorded in the region.
- ▪The study was conducted in deep marine canyons off Western Australia's Ningaloo coast.
- ▪Researchers collected nearly 200 water samples and analyzed the eDNA to identify species present in the area.
- ▪The detection of the giant squid marks only the third observation of this species in Western Australia's waters.
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Scientists Detect an Elusive Giant Squid and Many Other Surprising Marine Animals Near Western Australia Thanks to DNA in the Water Mucus, feces, skin and other shed tissue allowed researchers to investigate which creatures have been swimming in two deep-sea canyons without having to observe or catch them Margherita Bassi | Daily Correspondent May 26, 2026 4:31 p.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source Western Australia’s Ningaloo coast MODIS Land Rapid Response Team / NASA GSFC It seems like every time researchers stick their heads—or their remotely operated vehicles—underwater, they find a shocking array of animals thriving far beyond humanity’s reach.
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