Technicians in New Zealand have begun to thaw a rare colossal squid specimen.

The operation to defrost the 10-metre long, half-tonne squid began yesterday afternoon in Wellington following a postponent of 24 hours.

The animal is now sitting in a bath of salt water. Once it is thawed, scientists will begin to dissect it. Very little is known about colossal squid, which appear to live largely in the cold Antarctic waters and can grow up to 15 metres long.

?They?re incredibly rare ? this is probably one of maybe six specimens ever brought up,? said Carol Diebel, director of natural environment at the Museum of New Zealand?s ?Te Papa? centre. The Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni specimen was caught in February 2007 in the Ross Sea. The colossal squid is remarkable for its size, but also for how rarely it has been sighted. It was identified first in 1925 from two tentacles found in a sperm whale?s stomach.