How can narwhals hold their breath for so long?

But champion divers, such as elephant seals, can hold their breath for about two hours. "It was known that they rely on internal oxygen stores when they're down there," said Michael Berenbrink, a zoologist at the University of Liverpool, England, who specializes in how animals function. read more

Although narwhals can travel for miles under the ice between breathing opportunities, they must surface regularly. They do so using cracks in the ice called leads. Narwhals can create their own leads if necessary and are capable of breaking holes in ice several inches thick using their heads or backs. read more