Cuvier’s beaked whales are the most esta diving mammals in the world. CREDIT: Read Andrew J.
The blue whale may be one of the most mysterious creatures on the planet, but it is the beaked whale (Zipius cavirostris) of the true megastars Kuvier of the diving world. They are capable of reaching ths depths of about 3000 m, and calculations suggest that these relatively obscure whales must remain submerged for about min 33 minutes, when they run out of oxygen and they resort to anaerobic respiration. Experienced though Nicola Quick and U.S.A. Shy mammals are capable of diving much longer, he told colleagues at Duke University. Wondering how often animals enter these epic dives and how long it takes them to recover after returning to the surface, William Sioffi, Sheen of J an, Rendrew Reed, Daniel Webster (from Cascadia Research Collective) and Quick Gaya Pranchi. Animals in water filled with Cape Hatteras of A.A.
‘Animals spend very little time on the surface, so we need calm seas and experienced observers,’ says Quick, ‘the average time they spend on the surface is about 2 minutes, so it takes time. A dedicated crew and a busy ship ‘. Short surfing periods limit the time available for transferring valuable information to a satellite whenever animals return from a dive.
Cuvier’s beaked whale (Zephyus cavirostris) with tag on dominal fin Credit: Andrew Reed and Duke University. All research activities were conducted under NOAA / NMFS Scientific Research Permits 17086 and 20605 (Robin Baird); NOAA / NMFS Permit 14809-03 (Doug Novasek); And NOAA General Authorization 16185 (Andrew Reed).
Deploying 23 tussles over a 5-year period, the team recorded more than 3,600 forging dives, ranging from min 33 minutes to 2h13 minutes, more than all of the points when Cuvier’s beak whales were diving. Oxygen. Knowing that about 95% of dives performed by other mammals are completed before their oxygen supply is reduced, the team examined their plot and realized that if the same proportion of Cuvier’s beaked whale dives expired their oxygen stores, then they could drown. Is. For an incredible 77.7 minutes before resorting to anaerobic breathing. “So we were really surprised that these animals are able to go far beyond the predictions that there should be a diving limit,” says Quick.
In addition, the team made two extraordinary dives in 2017, which exceeded their wildest dreams. One was about 3k long, while the other 3k lasted 42 minutes. ‘We didn’t believe it before; These are mammals after all, and the cost of any mammal that seems long underwater just seems incredible ‘, says Quick, publishing this discovery Journal of Experimental Biology.
But, how long did it take for the whale to recover from dives up to 2h13 minutes? After analyzing the length of time between fodder dives – which exceeded 33 minutes – Quick was surprised that there was no clear pattern. However, one whale resumed diving for food within 20 minutes of the 2 hour dive, another completed 78k dive to make about 4 hours shorter dips and returned to the surface before starting the next forage dive. ‘Going into the study, we thought that after a long dive we would see an extra example of recovery time. Immediately say that we have not opened many other questions.
The extraordinary resilience of the queer beaked whale, Quick and Rendries Fahlmann of Spain’s Fundisian Oceaniography de la Comunitate Valencia, suggests that animals may be larger than normal oxygen stores and have less metabolism together with their ability to withstand stinging. Lactic Acid Muscles are formed in their muscles when they switch to anaerobic metabolism. Also interested in the reasons behind the two record-breaking dives fast; ‘It could be that there is a particularly productive food patch, … there was a little threat …[or] She says some noise clutter affected these dives.
Reference: “Extreme Diving in Mammals: The First Estimation of Behavioral Aerobic Dive Limits in Beaver Whales in Kuvira” Quick, NJ, COF, WR, Shearer, JM, Fahlman, A & Reed, AJ, 23 September 2020, Journal of Experimental Biology.
DOI: 10.1242 / JB.222109
