How Long Can Whales Hold Their Breath?

Whales travel through the ocean, lunging, leaping, and playing, with grace and swiftness that belies their huge size.

[{"selector":"#anim-ed9f1464-e34b-490b-a1b5-8fbdf473f8af","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0ba0b33-6c37-40ab-8f46-f5823d07810d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.82848%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

The secret to their incredible lifestyle, besides their well-adapted skeletal and muscular structure, is a very unique respiratory system specialized for deep-sea diving.

[{"selector":"#anim-43e9b656-38c8-42ac-bee0-6bce44ccd944","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1182fc00-3f62-483a-966f-9cd0d05a06f3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.32027%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

How Does a Whale Breathe?

[{"selector":"#anim-e1757b36-3fc2-4783-a286-7f86937e0383","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d43fde1-6864-4c61-aa3f-35fa05f7c489","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e1fdf194-ab2a-4dcd-a36e-ccad73bdbec7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97e34a12-aa21-4bbe-994b-d7ffebb731e0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3204af40-ad76-44dc-a06b-d334bb048221","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10d46903-c801-4fe3-b0ae-8399e0fd7f06","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn More Once the stale air has been expelled from the body, the whale will take in a series of quick breaths to replenish its oxygen.

How Long Can a Whale Holds Its Breath?

[{"selector":"#anim-6627071f-47b7-435d-867f-b3bf79e26ad8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49bae993-1713-4056-9617-f098bce361b7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e12ace3f-cb02-4049-ae3e-fe463ba00fc4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66d6239b-4149-4c57-9f57-f96e344d170f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62939156-5759-4a1f-bab1-46418a8a924f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9013a467-3a12-4bde-9117-7098fc8d993f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.87301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn More It can hold its breath for around 90 minutes while diving down to depths of more than 3,000 feet to feast upon a favorite meal, giant squids.

What is the record for the longest whale dive?

[{"selector":"#anim-a7bce345-866e-4133-b0a7-371681d723de","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-deae9554-e5eb-49a6-8900-c252d680e63a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7c37bef-09d2-40c6-9c77-48913318c290","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4d72e049-c368-4cde-8c06-2d751e3206ba","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74ddd9dd-e97e-4a0e-9ed7-e39dd9980e0b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39160567-5875-499a-88e1-fc6cff1fdf3b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn More The Cuvier’s beaked whale, a deep ocean species which can grow up to 23 feet long and weigh up to 6,800 pounds.

How does a whale hold its breath?

[{"selector":"#anim-73457d44-f991-41dd-935b-da18c078964e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4588db8f-afa3-4fd3-93d6-3c6a8835a69b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f63cee0c-44d8-4667-ae84-c5e183eb9eed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ba730a5-b698-46c3-89d4-18e103894081","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-282785e4-c281-4a97-ab19-71ab101dc52f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ca5b1deb-ae71-49de-a6e0-1a9ee7755d5a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn More The secret to the whale’s breathing capacity lies in the efficiency of the entire respiratory system. This starts from the moment of their first breath.

SWIPE UP TO read MORE

[{"selector":"#anim-a5a3e84c-e005-4957-b38a-ef34eb72dbfb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-58.44558168269959%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49140243-6efd-4012-8dec-f1c6329d495f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d885cdc-df12-4e40-a39d-62e850aa0b48","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 270.91973%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up!

More posts

[{"selector":"#anim-ba89dbcc-4ecc-4e0f-88b9-1782d419e010","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-251.82924%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8dcc3eaf-b2d8-490b-baf5-0671318ded03","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f104da8-6f6a-4414-8dd9-6d0e7f24746a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-851b83cb-bfd2-430d-b413-7aede3057e84","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-254.32098%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-597b4d07-6937-4fc7-b18e-5478518415ec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35aec7c6-4278-4b28-bc6d-3dd7b1abd2d1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bea1464-f1a4-489c-975a-5ec7a069fbfe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-352.88459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d816968-112b-46e4-bf57-26241d7d4a10","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38684979-d73f-4481-b854-0ba34349a349","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96499393-395c-4fec-af03-ce0337fda866","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-343.92525%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b4ab409-6092-479f-a98f-280d734194e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f75af9f-8fdf-4a29-8946-230638467240","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2cd76c5f-f7ae-4360-88ab-f8701d82eeaf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35dda441-e2c9-4be0-a4eb-3f9b833a7d7f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-121.02565%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3eb74cc3-c130-42a5-8578-d7b71ea0f4e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.20634%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d44652b9-9260-4455-9f3a-d590e2487a81","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22de8a5b-99b5-41b7-ab4b-57b3186bea3e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e9ec8cca-b62c-4297-bcfa-41790503e740","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.20634%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3033828e-5f6f-438c-9748-8d59cf0010e7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce1a594f-b540-4044-a472-6cf957c59298","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-132f0744-9350-443d-b5eb-5f498ebb0ae5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.20634%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15e30b72-3303-4e7d-829c-971d74763539","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb2c941d-f3a8-4191-8241-01537a3a390c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-76d246f9-4b34-4a2d-8922-19cac7d5bba6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-353.39804%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f641d949-d2da-40c8-bfb2-aa186f7fb3f1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-976d79f6-66c2-489f-bf10-f42b7c159d2d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] How Fast do Whales Swim? What Do Whales Eat? Their Diets Explained Discover the Largest Whale Shark on Record