# Predatory habits of Sperm Whales?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predatory-habits-of-sperm-whales/316176>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predatory-habits-of-sperm-whales/316176 "2005-08-08T20:42:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predatory-habits-of-sperm-whales/316176/1 "2005-08-08T20:42:43Z")

</div>

Have scientists ever observed sperm whales hunting? I know that during the old “glory days” of whaling, they often found remains of giant squid in the whales’ stomaches. I wondered if any one has since observed them in the act of hunting squid – or better yet, actually caught it on film! If so, I would definitely be interested in viewing the results!

Also – The whales don’t limit their diet to just squids, do they? What other creatures do they eat?

Any information would be appreciated.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predatory-habits-of-sperm-whales/316176/2 "2005-08-08T20:52:58Z")

</div>

Mostly squid (giant and otherwise) it would appear. To the best of my knowledge, giant squid have never been seen alive, so I’m afraid no video.

[What do sperm whales eat?](http://nmml.afsc.noaa.gov/education/cetaceans/sperm2.htm#eat)

[World Wildlife Fund and Sperm Whale eats](http://www.ngo.grida.no/wwfap/whalewatching/whales_sperm.shtml)

[Really cool link from Museum of Natural History](http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/ocean/01_dioramas/n_spermwhale.php)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predatory-habits-of-sperm-whales/316176/3 "2005-08-09T02:05:59Z")

</div>

[CritterCams](http://www.nationalgeographic.com/crittercam/about.html) have successfuly been attached to sperm whales by a researcher named Clyde Roper in the late 1990s. ([Here’s one example from New Zealand](http://www.gradewinner.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_n5_v54/ai_20014214))

However, AFAIK he never got any footage of Giant Squid as of 2002, and probably still hasn’t, since google doesn’t seem to turn it up. There’s a lot of difficulty not only involved in attaching the camera to the sperm whale, but also in keeping it on there. The high pressures sperm whales dive to tend to do a number on the camera, and a few times his timing’s been unfortunate as storms move into the area shortly after attaching the camera.

If the research continues and the cameras become more durable, I imagine someday we’ll get footage of the Giant Squid, but we’re just not there yet.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predatory-habits-of-sperm-whales/316176/4 "2005-08-09T20:44:53Z")

</div>

Don’t sperm whales tend to hunt in the depths? So there’s no light anyway.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predatory-habits-of-sperm-whales/316176/5 "2005-08-10T02:17:25Z")

</div>

Low light does not mean no light. Cameras adapted for low light conditions can still get images, even at great depth.