Excerpt:
An enlarged aorta enables seals to dive for longer durations.
How long can you hold your breath? Two minutes is tough for most people, but for pinnipeds—including seals and sea lions—two minutes is a breeze. In fact, the longest recorded breath hold for a pinniped was completed by a southern elephant seal that stayed submerged for nearly two hours.
Some seals and sea lions regularly hold their breath for more than 10 minutes as they forage for food along the ocean floor, and a new study indicates that the key to their lengthy breath holds lies in their hearts…
Written by Kristina Blanchflower
Illustrations by Mercedes Minck
