Beaked whales have astonished animal researchers by smashing the record for the deepest dive by an air-breathing animal. Zoologists studying Cuvier’s beaked whale recorded specimens diving 6,230ft (1,899m) under the surface, easily beating the record of 4,000ft held by the sperm whale. The beaked whale was able to hold its breath for 85 minutes while it completed the epic dive. The scientists studying the marine creature were able to record echolocation clicks that bounced off smaller animals during the dive, suggesting that the whale was hunting. ‘The dives near 1,900m constitute the deepest confirmed dives reported from any air-breathing animal,’ scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, in the United States, said. ‘This extreme deep-diving behaviour is of particular interest since beaked whales stranded during naval sonar exercises have been reported to have symptoms of decompression sickness.’ The team studied Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) and Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) off Spain and Italy using tags to record the movements. Peter Tyack, of the institution, said that there were behavioural similarities with the much better-studied sperm whales and elephant seals, but also some significant differences. ‘These two beaked whale species make long, very deep […]