The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that killer whales mostly make shallow dives, most of which last less than a minute. The longest dive by an adult male lasted 8.5 minutes. Andrew Trites, co-author of the study, explained that they are similar to “sprinters” and do not have the marathon endurance of blue and humpback whales.
The single breathing mode allowed the researchers to estimate the oxygen consumption of adult and juvenile killer whales, which helped understand their energy expenditure and nutritional requirements. This will determine whether these mammals are getting enough food, which is critical for their preservation.
The study also states that killer whales take 1.2-1.3 breaths per minute when resting and 1.5-1.8 breaths per minute while moving or hunting.
Source: Ferra
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