The deep ocean is full of mysterious creatures, and the giant squid has long been one of the most elusive. Renowned in particular for its massive size and secretive nature, it has attracted the attention of many formidable predators. It might be hard to believe that any creature would hunt such an enormous creature, but here is a list of ocean animals known to do exactly that.
Sperm Whale
In the case of the sperm whale, it’s not so surprising that they’re known to hunt giant squids, as they’re far larger. Using their powerful jaws and enormous size, they’ll search the ocean and easily defeat these colossal squids in battle, often in the dark depths where the squids typically reside.
Orcas
Much like with sperm whales, the fact that orcas hunt giant squids makes a lot of sense considering their size and aggressive nature. Primarily, this will occur in colder waters, where their intelligence and social hunting strategies allow them to target some of the largest prey in the world. They’ll even use teamwork to overpower them, which is really quite incredible.
Giant Isopods
Unlike other creatures on this list, giant isopods don’t actively hunt giant squids alive, but they’re opportunistic feeders, so they’ll happily eat the remains of dead or dying squids. Ultimately, these creatures will take advantage of whatever large prey they encounter in the deep ocean.
Albatrosses
Much like giant isopods, albatrosses are known to scavenge giant squid carcasses that have floated to the ocean’s surface. However, they typically won’t actively hunt giant squids, as this would be a fight that they would no doubt lose. Regardless, their ability to spot squid remains from miles away makes them one of the first to claim a meal.
Great White Sharks
As you’d probably expect, great white sharks are formidable predators that usually hunt seals, although they’ve been known to attack giant squids when they venture near the surface. Unsurprisingly, their sheer size and power allow them to take on even the largest marine creatures when they encounter them, so a giant squid would actually make for an easy snack.
Blue Sharks
As with other sharks on this list, blue sharks are skilled hunters and have been observed feeding on giant squids in deeper waters. Impressively, these sharks are well-adapted to the deep ocean, where they hunt a variety of marine creatures, and any type of squid is no exception.
Tiger Sharks
Famously, tiger sharks have a reputation for their indiscriminate feeding habits, and giant squids are most definitely on the menu. It might not be their favourite meal, but they are quite capable of consuming giant squids when the opportunity arises–especially when the squids venture into shallower waters where the sharks can easily target them.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Atlantic bluefin tuna are powerful swimmers that hunt a variety of ocean creatures, including giant squids. While far smaller than sharks, these large fish are still capable of overpowering even the biggest squids, especially when they venture closer to the surface.
Hammerhead Sharks
Perhaps to your lack of surprise, hammerhead sharks are capable of hunting giant squids thanks to their wide heads, which help them navigate the ocean floor and target prey. At the end of the day, their unique anatomy allows them to find and capture just about any living ocean animal, and giant squids certainly fall into this category. However, expect the giant squid to put up a tough fight!
Leopard Seals
This might be hard to believe, but despite leopard seals primarily hunting penguins and fish, there have been occasional reports of them preying on giant squids. Although this behaviour is not common, their large size and predatory nature make them capable of targeting squids if the opportunity arises, although the squid would definitely put up a fair fight.
Thresher Sharks
Thresher sharks are iconic for using their long, whip-like tails to stun their prey, enabling them to hunt giant squids whenever the opportunity arises. As you have probably gathered, this hunting technique will quickly disable the giant squid, transforming it from a formidable opponent into a light snack.
Moray Eels
Another ocean animal known to hunt the giant squid is the moray eel, an opportunistic predator that will eat just about anything it comes across. It might not seem so large, but these eels use their sharp teeth and stealthy hunting methods to capture and consume their prey, and even the giant squid will struggle to evade that.
Seabirds
One of the most unusual examples on this list are seabirds, such as shearwaters and petrels, both of which will hunt squid when given the opportunity. Obviously, the squid will need to be floating near the surface of the ocean to make things easier for seabirds, but under the right circumstances, these birds will be quick and efficient hunters, diving into the water to catch a squiddy meal.
Barracudas
Interestingly, barracudas primarily hunt smaller fish and squid, but they have been observed targeting vulnerable giant squids from time to time. No, it’s not their usual prey, but barracudas are fast and capable of overpowering weaker squids, which is quite unfortunate for any vulnerable victims.
Mako Sharks
Once again, mako sharks will only hunt giant squid when the opportunity arises, but when it does, you can guarantee that it will win the battle. As you might expect, they’ll leverage their immense speed and terrifyingly sharp teeth to capture and overpower these large cephalopods, making them quite the predator.
Oceanic Whitetip Sharks
Last but not least, oceanic whitetip sharks are one of the most common predators of giant squids. World-renowned for their aggressive hunting behaviour, these sharks will happily target giant squids in deep waters, using their speed and hunting prowess to capture their prey.