The dead squid have washed ashore from Aptos to Watsonville -- a span of 12 miles. The squid are juveniles, about a foot and a half long, weighing around three pounds.
They had full stomachs, having eaten smaller market squid. A few also cannibalized each other, which is normal.
Researchers think the squid may have eaten toxic algae, causing them to become disoriented and swim onto the beach.