Fisherman goes viral after surprise squid ink attack in Romblon

A fisherman from Romblon went viral after a squid he had just caught sprayed a burst of black ink directly on his face.

According to Kuya Kim's report on "24 Oras," Wednesday, Cris Rio has been catching squid for a living for seven years and he documents his experiences by creating vlogs.

Due to the frequent ink sprays, he sometimes wears a helmet while out at sea to protect himself from the ink discharged by the squids he intends to catch.

Kuya Kim said the ink produced by squids comes from a specialized organ called an ink sac, which contains melanin. It is the same pigment responsible for the dark color of human hair and skin, which explains the ink's black hue.

This ink serves as a crucial defense mechanism against predators.

"Nahi-hinder lang 'yung sense of smell and panlasa nung mga natatapunan nitong ink na ito na binubuga ng mga pusit pero panandalian lang. 'Pag nalinis mo na naman, nawawala na rin. 'Yung environment lang medyo dumilim 'yung visual effect dun sa predators," MSU-Gensan College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences faculty Glenville Castrence said.

When squids sense danger, they release this ink to confuse or obscure the vision of attackers. —Carby Rose Basina/MGP, GMA Integrated News