How Long Can Whales Hold Their Breath?

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Whales are the largest animals to have ever roamed the earth, with some species such as the blue whale reaching as large as 100 feet in length, or twice as long as a t-rex dinosaur.

These majestic creatures are marine mammals that spend all of their lives in the ocean, so they’ve had to come up with ways to adapt to ocean living as animals that are required to breathe.

One interesting way they survive in the ocean is by using their blowhole to breathe, but I think more impressive is the length of time whales can hold their breath whilst submerged.

Today, we’re going to delve deeper into whale breath-holding and answer a question that often comes up when discussing these ocean giants. How long can whales hold their breath?

In short, the length of time a whale can hold its breath depends on its size and lung capacity, but the longest ever recorded dive by a whale was made by a Cuvier’s beaked whale that lasted a whopping 222 minutes.

Let’s take a closer look…

How Long Can Whales Hold Their Breath?

There are around 40 different species of whale that each have their own unique adaptations, size, and lung capacity that dictates how long they can hold their breath.

There are also factors such as age, health, and activity level that play a role in how long the whale can hold its breath.

The average whale can hold its breath for around 60 minutes, but after this time the animal must come to the surface to breathe.

Below are some of the lengths of time in which different species of whale can hold their breath.

• Humpback whales can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes (but averages every 5 – 10 minutes)
• Blue whales can hold their breath for up to 60 minutes
• Sperm whales can hold their breath for up to 90 minutes
• Gray whales can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes
• Cuvier’s beaked whales can hold their breath for up to 222 minutes
• Fin whales can hold their breath for up to 60 minutes
• Beluga whales can hold their breath for up to 25 minutes

How Do Whales Hold Their Breath For So Long?

The main reason why whales are able to hold their breath for so long is due to their ability to slow down their heart rate, conserve oxygen, and divert blood flow away from non-essential organs.

Whales also have a high concentration of myoglobin within their muscles which stores oxygen and allows them to use it even when they are not breathing.

It’s also important to note that whales are not constantly holding their breath whilst they are submerged.

Before they dive, they take a series of deep breaths which fill up their muscles with oxygen, then when they submerge they slowly release their oxygen stores as they swim.

They also have ENORMOUS lungs, well, the larger species do.

Typically, the whale’s lung capacity is about the same volume as a small car, so you can see that they’re able to store a lot of oxygen before they dive.

How Long Can A Whale Hold Its Breath While Sleeping?

Unlike humans, whales are conscious breathers which means even whilst sleeping they need to somehow breathe in order to survive.

They do this by shutting down one half of their brain at a time whilst the other remains active and alert for predators.

During sleep, whales can enter a state known as ‘logging’, where they float near the surface of the water with very little movement which allows them to conserve energy and minimize the need for oxygen.

Whales do hold their breath while sleeping, but the length of time will depend on the species, age, and physical health of the whale.

Sperm whales may hold their breath for up to 90 minutes whilst sleeping whereas humpback whales may hold their breath for 30 minutes or so.

The ability of different whales to hold their breath while sleeping varies between a few minutes and over an hour.

Which Whale Can Hold Its Breath The Longest?

The Cuvier’s beaked whale holds the record for the longest time a whale has held its breath at a recorded 222 minutes.

These whales have very little fat around their midsection which allows them to store more nitrogen, enabling them to dive to great depths.

Relative to other cetaceans, Cuvier’s beaked whales have a lot of muscle and blood for their size, and both contain extremely high concentrations of proteins that can store oxygen.

Sperm whales are also up there with the ability to dive for up to 90 minutes and reach depths of 7000 feet in search of giant squid.

Do Whales Need To Hold Their Breath?

Yes, whales do need to hold their breath as they are marine mammals that breathe air but reside in the ocean.

It’s essential that whales can hold their breath so that they can dive in order to search for prey and mate.

Their prey is found at various depths of the ocean which means different species of whales need to be able to dive to different depths in order to eat and survive.

Unlike fish and sharks, whales do not have gills and instead have a blowhole on the top of their heads which allows them to breathe without fully leaving the water.

This means they can come to the surface for air when they need to but can quickly submerge once they have replenished their oxygen stores.

Wrapping Up

So, how long can whales hold their breath? It depends on the species, but the average whale can hold its breath for around 60 minutes.

The whale’s size, age, physical health, and other factors play a role in how long the animal can hold its breath.

Whales are truly remarkable animals that have adapted perfectly to living in the ocean in many ways, including their ability to hold their breath for long periods.

Generally, larger whales can hold their breath for longer periods than smaller species, but there are a few outliers such as the Cuvier’s beaked whale that hold the top spot.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post today and learn more about the wonderful world of whales.

See you next time!