The Kraken is one of the most enduring figures in maritime history, a mythological sea monster originating in Scandinavian folklore. The creature was described as a massive cephalopod dwelling in the deep, northern seas between Norway and Greenland. The central mystery surrounding this monster revolves around what a beast of such legendary proportions actually eats. To answer this, it is necessary to separate the dramatic accounts of old sailors from the scientific reality of the deep-sea giants that inspired them.
The Legendary Consumption of the Kraken
In Norse sagas and European folklore, the Kraken’s diet consisted of far larger, more dramatic fare than just fish. The primary consumption involved large ships and their crews, which the monster would drag down to the abyssal depths. Sailors described the creature enveloping vessels with its massive tentacles or generating colossal whirlpools capable of capsizing ships. Beyond ships, the Kraken was said to prey on whales and other large marine animals. The monster’s activity was sometimes considered a boon to fishermen, as it was believed to lure massive schools of fish to the surface.
The Real Deep-Sea Inspiration
The myth of the Kraken was likely fueled by rare encounters with real deep-dwelling cephalopods. The two primary candidates for this inspiration are the Giant Squid (Architeuthis dux) and the Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni). Both species inhabit the cold, dark waters of the world’s oceans, making them elusive creatures that rarely surface. The sheer size of these invertebrates, with the Giant Squid reaching lengths of up to 43 feet, gave credence to the folklore of the ship-sinking monster. Carcasses occasionally wash ashore, and the sight of such a giant body would have terrified early mariners, turning the animal into a symbol of the ocean’s unknown.
What Giant Squid Actually Hunt and Consume
The actual diet of the Giant and Colossal Squid is specialized, consisting primarily of deep-sea organisms. The Giant Squid is a carnivore that preys mostly on deep-sea fish like grenadiers, hake, and orange roughy, along with smaller squid species. The stomach contents of recovered specimens confirm this diet of mid-water fauna. The Colossal Squid, which is heavier and bulkier, includes large fish in its diet, such as Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, as well as smaller squid and deep-sea smelt. Since observing these animals in their natural habitat is difficult, much of this dietary knowledge is inferred by studying their indigestible beaks found in the stomachs of sperm whales.
Anatomy and Methods of Attack
The anatomical tools used by these deep-sea giants are highly specialized for capturing prey in the dark depths. Both species possess eight arms and two significantly longer feeding tentacles, which are shot out rapidly to snatch a target. The Giant Squid’s tentacles are lined with suckers that have serrated chitinous rings, providing a powerful grip on struggling prey. The Colossal Squid, in contrast, has hooks on its arms and tentacles, which are effective at securing larger fish. Once the prey is secured, it is brought to the center of the arms, where the squid’s powerful, parrot-like beak slices the food into manageable pieces. The food then passes through the radula, a tongue-like organ covered in small teeth, which shreds the meal.