What is the longest recorded dive duration for any whale?

The longest recorded dive for any whale lasted 3 hours 42 minutes, completed by a Cuvier’s beaked whale. A satellite-linked tag recorded the 222-minute dive in 2020, extending the species’ already extraordinary reputation as the deepest-diving mammal known.

Cuvier’s beaked whales normally make deep foraging dives lasting around 30 to 90 minutes, often descending beyond 800 meters to hunt squid and fish. Their record dive is exceptional rather than typical. The same species has also been recorded reaching a depth of 2,992 meters, or nearly 10,000 feet.

These dives are possible because the whales conserve oxygen and tolerate intense pressure. Their heart rate can slow dramatically, blood flow is carefully managed, and their bodies can withstand changes that would cause serious problems for humans. The record is often confused with earlier dive measurements of around two hours, but the 222-minute observation is the longest documented whale dive in the cited record.