In this way, breathing and eating are kept entirely separate in dolphins so that they can capture prey in their mouths and swallow it without the risk water getting into their lungs. Holds Its Breath Last updated at 00:23. We were wondering how long seals can hold their breath for underwater? Humpback whales have been known to hold their breath for up to an hour-but we are sure glad they donât this very often! Despite being called the snow 'leopard', this big cat is more closely related to the tiger than the leopard. It has proportionately short legs and a long tail. The whales we see in our waters donât hold their breath for quite as long as this. They stash food up high so other predators such as lions or hyenas canât get it. Sea turtles are a different story â they don't do the butt-breathing thing, but a sleeping sea turtle can hold its breath for up to seven hours at a time. Scientists say they have solved the mystery of one of the most extreme adaptations in the animal kingdom: how marine mammals store enough oxygen to hold their breath for up to an hour. The team studied myoglobin, an oxygen-storing protein in mammals' muscles and found that, in whales and seals, it has special "non-stick" properties. So how does it generate enough energy to stay under for so long (the record is nearly 2 hours!). Why whales can hold their breath for a long time - The Week Scientists know it ⦠They canât roar. If you want to learn how to freedive and hold your breath underwater for longer, there are specific techniques that will make it easier. How Long Can Whales Hold Their Breath? - Wildlife Informer For comparison, they are smaller than ⦠Thanks. This record belongs to a leatherback sea turtle. However, most people can only safely hold their breath for 1 to 2 minutes.