Extreme Dives of Beaked Whales

Beaked whales are mammalian record holders for deep and long dives. A 2014 study recorded a Cuvier’s beaked whale diving to 2,992 m for 137.5 minutes. A separate 2020 study reported a dive lasting 222 minutes. Whales store oxygen in their blood and muscles and adjust heart rate and blood flow while diving. The illustration is a synthetic AI visualization.