How long can a blue whale hold its breath?

The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth, and it has some amazing abilities, including the ability to hold its breath for a very long time. Blue whales can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes, which is longer than any other animal on the planet.

When a blue whale dives, it can descend to depths of over 1,000 feet, and it can stay submerged for up to 20 minutes. During this time, its heart rate drops from about 60 beats per minute to just a few beats per minute, allowing it to conserve oxygen.

The blue whale's ability to hold its breath for such a long time is due to several adaptations. For one, it has a large lung capacity, which allows it to take in more oxygen with each breath. Additionally, it has a lot of myoglobin, a protein that stores oxygen in muscles. Finally, it has a low metabolic rate, which means that it doesn't use as much oxygen as other animals its size.