A rare neon flying squid washed ashore in recent days on the Maagan beach and was filmed by an inspector from the maritime unit of the Nature and Parks Authority. The squid is 110 cm (3.6 ft) long and this is the second time one was seen on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nature and Parks Authority noted that sightings of the species are extremely rare in the Mediterranean Sea, especially in Israel, and mostly occur in the fall.
The reason for this is that the species is generally found in deeper water, and off of Israel's coast the appropriate depths are several kilometers away from the shore.
In addition, the species prefers colder water, and Israel's coast is relatively warm for the Mediterranean.
Or Hafner, a marine ecologist at the Nature and Parks Authority, stated: "Like many other squids, this squid also has eight tentacles used for locomotion and two for hunting. This is a relatively large species of squid and its average size is 45 cm (18 in). Sometimes larger ones that are 90 cm (35 in) long are seen."
He explains that "the squid got its name thanks to its ability to glide for short distances outside of the water, similar to flying fish. This behavior happens regularly in storms or when there are predators in the area, but the mechanism responsible for the behavior is still not fully understood by scientists. The neon flying squid has a life expectancy of about a year, during which they complete a cyclical migration between their feeding and spawning areas. They mostly eat small ocean fish and other squids, and they are sometimes cannibals and eat other neon squids. They are prey for large fish, sharks, and sea mammals. The species is common in many countries around the world."