The Ocean's Deepest Divers

CVES SCIENCE, Deep Mystery: How Do Penguins Dive?, 250 ft To remain underwater for up to 20 minutes on a single breath of air, penguins use two different modes-of exygen use, researchers have discovered. 500 ft Pattern 1: Brain and heart priority Blood flow to the muscles is completely cut 750 rt off, forcing them to rely on their own supply (this leaves plenty of oxygen to feed the brain and heart) 1,000 ft Deepest penguin dive is deeper than the Empire State Building ist 1,250 ft 1,500 ft Pattern 2: Oxygen sharing The penguin selectively sends small amounts of oxygen to the muscles, leaving less rest of the body Deepest Divers ft Emperor Penguin 1,500 ft (500 m) 1,000 ft Weddell Seal 1,970 ft (600 m) 2,000 ft 3,000 ft Blainville's Beaked Whale 4,100 ft (1,250 m) Leatherback Turtle 4,200 ft (1280 m) 4,000 ft Elephant Seal 5,000 ft (1,500 m) Southern Elephant Seal 5,300 ft (1,620 m) 5,000 ft Cuvier's Beaked Whale 6,200 ft (1,900 m) 6,000 ft Sperm Whale 6,500 ft (2,000m) 7,000 ft SOURCES: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, MARINEBIO.NET, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, SOFTPEDIA http://nsf.gov/news/news_images.jsp?cntn_id=108180&org=NSF http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/04benthon/AAmammals.htm http://users.tamuk.edu/kfjab02/Biology/AnimalPhysiology/B3408%20Systems/BIOL%203408%20Chapter% 2025%20Diving.htm http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=9779&tid=282&cid=16726&ct=162 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-do-deep-diving-sea-cr http://www.ftexploring.com/askdrg/askdrgalapagos2.html ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLLE RAGER FULLER, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRAPHIC BY KARL TATE, LIVESCIENCE.COM