Arms, tentacles and entire giant-sized squid are mysteriously appearing along the coast of Japan, raising concerns among fishermen that it might represent some kind of “omen.”
Fears over the increase in the number of giant squid were sparked after three of the massive creatures were caught in January alone.
One was taken to the Himi fishing port in Toyama Prefecture on January 4, while another was discovered in a net off Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture on January 8, according to The Japan Times.
Arms and tentacles believed to be from a giant squid were also found washed ashore on January 19.
Two days later, a monster squid was caught in a net off the town of Iwami, Tottori Prefecture and another was caught this month, the newspaper reported.
The largest of the creatures could have spanned eight metres prior to its capture, reports indicated.
Local residents were reportedly trying to calculate how many people the massive animal could feed before it was discovered to contain too much ammonia to be edible.
The fisherman that caught two of the monster squids raised his fears about the mysterious influx.
“I had seen no giant squid before in my 15-year fishing career,” he said. “I wonder whether it may be some kind of omen," Shigenori Goto said.
Giant squids are known to inhabit the deep waters off the Japanese coast, anywhere from 980 feet to 4,920 feet below.