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Considered some of the largest animals in our oceans, which creature is bigger: giant squid vs. blue whale? Not much is known about these two gentle giants, except that they are both larger than life. But just how big are giant squid compared to blue whales, and how did the two creatures get so big?
In this article, we’ll compare and contrast a blue whale and a giant squid so you can really get a sense of just how big these two creatures really are. Additionally, we’ll look at their diet and potential predators so you can learn everything you can about the average lifespan of these two creatures. Let’s get started now!
Giant squid compared to blue whales
giant squid | blue whale | |
---|---|---|
length | 40-50 feet long | 80-100 feet long |
high | 5-7 feet tall | 15 feet tall |
weight | 300-600 lbs | 100-110 tons |
diet | fish, other squid, shrimp | Krill, plankton, crustaceans and fish |
predator | sperm whales, sharks, humans | human, killer whale |
size comparison | It’s the length of a school bus and weighs the same as a regular v8! | 2 and a half school buses long and 4-5 school buses heavy! |
Key Differences Between Giant Squid and Blue Whale
There are a number of key differences between the size of a giant squid and that of a blue whale. For example, the average length of a blue whale is almost twice as long as the average length of a giant squid. Additionally, the giant squid faced more predators than the common blue whale, possibly due to its smaller size. Finally, blue whales weigh significantly more than the average giant squid.
Now let’s take a look at all these numbers and other details.
Giant Squid vs. Blue Whale: Length and Height
While giant squid are indeed known as giants, the size of a giant squid hardly compares to that of an ordinary blue whale. Blue whales are much larger than giant squids in length, height and weight. But just how big is a blue whale compared to the average giant squid? Now let’s take a closer look.
On average, giant squid are between 40 and 50 feet long, while blue whales can reach an average length of 80 to 100 feet. There are some studies suggesting that giant squid can reach lengths of nearly 70 feet, but no evidence of this has been documented in the wild. Even taking this into account, blue whales are still considerably larger in length compared to the average giant squid.
In addition, the height of the blue whale is much higher than that of the average giant squid. For example, blue whales reach a maximum height of about 15 feet, while giant squid reach 5-7 feet tall.
Giant Squid vs. Blue Whale: Weight
When you consider the fact that giant squid are able to reach such great lengths due to their tentacles, you might wonder just how much the creature weighs. On average, giant squid weigh significantly less than blue whales, and the difference is truly striking. Now let’s take a closer look at the numbers.
Depending on sex and age, the average blue whale can weigh up to 100 tons, while the average giant squid weighs only 300 to 600 pounds. When you compare the blue whale’s massive and imposing skeletal structure to the chitinous makeup of a giant squid, it only makes sense that the blue whale weighs a lot more! Although the average length of the two creatures is closer than you might think, the difference in weight is striking.
Giant Squid vs. Blue Whale: Diet
You might be wondering what exactly giant squid and blue whales need to eat to grow so large. The diets of these two sea creatures are similar, although blue whales prefer plankton and krill, while giant squid eat shrimp and fish. But how much do these two creatures need to eat in a day to survive? Let’s find out!
Recent studies have shown that blue whales eat a staggering 16 tons of food a day, while it’s unknown how much the average giant squid eats. However, considering that other species of squid often lose up to 30 percent of their body weight in a single day, giant squid may indeed eat about 180 pounds of food in a day!
Giant Squid vs. Blue Whale: The Predator
Both blue whales and giant squid have few natural predators, although giant squid face more threats on average than blue whales. For example, blue whales only need to worry about humans as their main threat as adults, while giant squid need to worry about sperm whales for life.
Additionally, both giant squid and blue whales view orcas, or killer whales, as a threat, although orcas only target juvenile blue whales. Giant squid are often targeted and eaten by different whales and sharks, and humans can interfere with their usually peaceful life underwater.
Giant Squid vs. Blue Whale: Size Comparison
When it comes to identifying the size of a giant squid versus a blue whale, sometimes comparing sizes can be helpful. For example, the average length of a blue whale is about the length of two and a half school buses, while the average length of a giant squid is only one school bus. In addition, the giant squid weighs roughly the same as a normal V8 engine, while the blue whale weighs as much as 4-5 school buses with huge engines.
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I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.