# Giant Squid drags Sperm Whale to drown it: how does squid "anchor" itself? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628 "2013-02-07T20:13:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/1 "2013-02-07T20:13:21Z")
See subject. Actually it is a real question about mechanics in open sea water and squid/whale physiology (lungs/bladders, mass, density, etc). Pertinent to a scenario effecting the outcome in answer to the eternal question: who would win? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/2 "2013-02-07T20:21:49Z")
What do you mean by “anchor itself?” The whale tries to swim up, the squid tries to swim down whilst clinging to the whale. They’re both in the open ocean, no solid object nearby for anybody to anchor to. The squid propels itself by ejecting water from its mantle cavity through a siphon tube - jet propulsion. If he can provide more thrust than the whale’s tail, he can pull both of them downward even if the whale is pointing straight up. However, the squid will have an easier time of it if he can just keep the whale pointed downward, since the whale can’t swim backward very well. It’s probably much easier for the squid to control which way the whale is pointing than it is to fight against the whale’s forward propulsive effort. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/3 "2013-02-07T20:38:20Z")
Sperm whales routinely dine on giant squid, a squid has only a fraction of the mass a whale carries, I don’t think it would be much of a fight. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/4 "2013-02-07T20:44:27Z")
Yes, I tried to save characters in the subject field by putting “anchor” in quotes–the struggle in free deep water, no squid-anchor, whatever that would be, nor a fixed object for it to grab hold of, and use tentacle strength only. Actually, I’m sure people have measured tentacle strength and maximum propulsive power of squids. Also propulsion of sperm whales, although I have no idea how it would be measured. It’s obviously the flip side to the question. I thought of the question when talking to a lifeguard about how to break the grip and push away drowning people who unwittingly are about to drown the rescuer. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/5 "2013-02-07T20:48:01Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Sperm whales routinely dine on giant squid, a squid has only a fraction of the mass a whale carries, I don’t think it would be much of a fight. I concur. Giant squid might leave a few nasty scars from defensive biting, but in general I suspect it is a hugely unequal struggle. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/6 "2013-02-07T21:14:31Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I concur. Giant squid might leave a few nasty scars from defensive biting, but in general I suspect it is a hugely unequal struggle. I don’t know of very many species (can’t thnk of any off the top of my head) that voluntarily go after equal prey. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/7 "2013-02-08T06:48:08Z")
Are sperm whales known to breach (do flying leaps out of the water) like humpback whales do? If so, that’s a hella lot of propulsive force! ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/8 "2013-02-08T06:55:07Z")
Squids are the prey, here. The sperm whale shouldn’t be in any particular danger attacking one. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/9 "2013-02-08T09:56:25Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > I don’t know of very many species (can’t thnk of any off the top of my head) that voluntarily go after equal prey. Humans. Humans have a long history of occasionally deliberately going after prey that is dangerous to them. No doubt because big game hunting in large part is about showing off how good a hunter or brave you are, not efficiently gathering meat. I suppose the Eurasian varieties of wolves that hunt humans on occasion could qualify as well. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/10 "2013-02-08T10:19:35Z")
The largest squid on record is the Colossal Squid weighing in at just over 1000 lbs, the Sperm Whale about 120,000 lbs, no contest. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/11 "2013-02-08T10:26:11Z")
Sperm whales hunt squid, who normally stay at great depths. I can understand the squid acting defensively, but is there any evidence that the squid hunts the whale? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/12 "2013-02-08T13:41:15Z")
Not to mention that the whale has a powerful sonic weapon. It can use its sonar “clicking” to stun prey. Divers who have been hit by a mild click say it’s like being kicked by a horse. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/13 "2013-02-08T13:49:24Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Not to mention that the whale has a powerful sonic weapon. It can use its sonar “clicking” to stun prey. Divers who have been hit by a mild click say it’s like being kicked by a horse. You must have pretty shitty luck to be getting sonar attaked by whales and kicked by horses enough to be able to compare the two. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/14 "2013-02-08T13:55:24Z")
Sperm whales eat squid. The squid may put up a fight but it will lose. The number of sperm whales killed by squid is probably lower than the number of lions killed by an antelope’s horns. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/15 "2013-02-08T13:57:04Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > You must have pretty shitty luck to be getting sonar attaked by whales and kicked by horses enough to be able to compare the two. Animals just don’t like some people. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/16 "2013-02-08T13:57:49Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Not to mention that the whale has a powerful sonic weapon. It can use its sonar “clicking” to stun prey. Divers who have been hit by a mild click say it’s like being kicked by a horse. This is fascinating. I’ve done some research on sonic less-thn-lethal programs for the Army. But waitasec: that’s not the question!! Everyone’s talking about who would win (which I appreciate, and will use at the coffee shop the next time it comes up, or when I force it into the conversation), but the one **Machine Elf** addressed: the mechanics of such an operation. Ok, much as I hate too, the Hell with squids and whales. People. People free-floating in microgravity if you must, but I’m interested in actually having some amorphous substance beyond atmosphere to work with. Or, it’s just me and the **Machine** off to the trivia farm. Sad, sad. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/17 "2013-02-08T14:09:41Z")
Then the question should have been “hypothetically,” and “how would th squid anchor itself” instead of the “how does (etc).” “How does” implies that you believed these scenarios actually happened. Biology geeks needed to correct that assumption. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/18 "2013-02-08T14:17:23Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Ok, much as I hate too, the Hell with squids and whales. People. People free-floating in microgravity if you must, but I’m interested in actually having some amorphous substance beyond atmosphere to work with. How are these people moving? What is their form of propulsion? Without knowing that there’s no way to answer the question. Presumably they are each managing to push some of the medium they are traveling through away, but the volume and speed of that determines who wins the battle. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/19 "2013-02-08T14:28:39Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Sperm whales eat squid. Seems to me we ought to have named them “squid whales” then. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628/20 "2013-02-08T14:38:54Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I concur. Giant squid might leave a few nasty scars from defensive biting, but in general I suspect it is a hugely unequal struggle. Sperm whales invariably carry scars from squid tentacles, but not the beaks. I don’t think even a squid’s beak would even open far enough to be able to close on the whale. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-squid-drags-sperm-whale-to-drown-it-how-does-squid-anchor-itself/649628.md?page=2)