# How Fast Is A Giant Squid?

> Giant Squid top speed is up to about 40 km/h (25 mph) in a jet burst. Sprint vs endurance and what limits pace.

- **Species:** Giant Squid (*Architeuthis dux*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore (deep-sea fish and other squid)
- **Habitat:** Deep oceans worldwide
- **Lifespan:** About 5 years (estimated)
- **Top speed:** Up to 40 km/h (25 mph) in a jet burst
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/squid/how-fast-is-a-squid/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/squid/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The giant squid (Architeuthis dux) is an enormous deep-sea invertebrate that can reach around 13 m (43 ft) in length including its long feeding tentacles. It lives in deep oceans worldwide, hunts fish and other squid, and swims by jet propulsion, blasting water from its funnel to reach bursts of up to 40 km/h (25 mph). It has the largest eyes of any known animal and is listed as Least Concern.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Giant Squid profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/squid/) instead.

## Size and body plan

The giant squid is one of the largest invertebrates ever recorded, reaching about 13 m (43 ft) from the tip of its fins to the ends of its two long feeding tentacles and weighing in the region of 275 kg. Its torpedo-shaped body, or mantle, is far shorter than that total length, because much of it is made up of the slender tentacles and eight shorter arms. All ten limbs are lined with toothed suckers that grip struggling prey. Beneath the arms sits a sharp, parrot-like beak driven by a muscular tongue covered in tiny teeth.

## Help protect the Giant Squid

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/squid/how-fast-is-a-squid/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.