← Back to the archive★ Support my pages
DD-683Naturealso ScienceFiled Last updated

Turtle Torpor

Short answer: Turtles stay underwater in two quite different ways. Sea turtles, like the one in the footage, are air-breathers.

They rely on oxygen stored in their lungs, blood and muscles, plus a low resting metabolism. A study of wild green turtles (Chelonia mydas) found they maximize time underwater on resting dives and then take five to seven breaths at the surface. Reviews of sea turtle diving report single breath-hold dives of over 10 hours. Absorbing oxygen from water is mainly a trick of some freshwater turtles. Australia's Fitzroy River turtle (Rheodytes leukops) pumps water through enlarged cloacal bursae. In the wild its dives averaged about 33 minutes and reached up to 623 minutes, and hatchlings got 63-73% of their oxygen from water. That works best in cool, oxygen-rich water. In warm summer water the same turtle becomes reliant on air. Some other species exchange gas through the lining of the mouth and throat.

VideoWrite-up5 sources
More like this★ Support my pagesCite this file

What should you know about Turtle Torpor?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Wild green turtles take five to seven breaths after a resting dive.

    DD-683-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Sea turtles hold their breath)

  2. Fitzroy River turtle dives reached up to 623 minutes.

    DD-683-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit D (How long)

Video transcript: Turtle Torpor: One Breath, Hours Underwater

DID YOU KNOW? Turtles have evolved remarkable adaptations that allow them underwater for extended periods. While submerged, many freshwater and sea turtles enter a state of reduced activity and slowed metabolism. They can absorb oxygen directly from water through specialized tissues in their throat, cloaca, or skin, allowing them to stay underwater without surfacing frequently. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 19.2s Reel ·

Video coming soonTurtle Torpor · Instagram Reel
Turtle Torpor: One Breath, Hours Underwater Instagram Reel · · 19.2s

The write-up

One breath, hours underwater. Resting sea turtles can stay down for hours on lung air.

  1. Exhibit A

    Sea turtles hold their breath

    Sea turtles are air-breathers. Wild green turtles maximize their submerged time on resting dives and then take five to seven breaths to refill.

  2. Exhibit B

    Record dives

    A review of sea turtle diving reports single breath-hold dives of over 10 hours and depths beyond 1,200 m.

  3. Exhibit C

    Breathing through the cloaca

    Australia's Fitzroy River turtle draws water into enlarged cloacal bursae lined with gill-like folds, extracting much of its oxygen from water.

  4. Exhibit D

    How long

    In the wild, Fitzroy River turtles averaged about 33-minute dives with a maximum of 623 minutes. Hatchlings got 63-73% of their oxygen from water, and two stayed under for a full 72-hour recording.

  5. Exhibit E

    Cool water helps

    In warm summer water with less oxygen, the same turtle shifted to relying on air breathing, because aquatic respiration couldn't meet its needs.

Questions people ask about Turtle Torpor

How do sea turtles mainly get oxygen on long dives?

They're air-breathers that rely on stored oxygen.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Sea turtles hold their breath) · Okuyama et al. (2014), Surfacers change their dive tactics depending on the aim of the dive (green turtles), PMC

Which turtle is famous for cloacal breathing?

Australia's Fitzroy River turtle.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Breathing through the cloaca) · Gordos (2004), Diving physiological ecology of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle Rheodytes leukops (thesis); Gordos & Franklin (2002), Diving behaviour of two Australian bimodally respiring turtles, Journal of Zoology

What was the longest wild dive recorded for the Fitzroy River turtle?

623 minutes (over 10 hours).

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (How long) · Gordos & Franklin (2002), Diving behaviour of two Australian bimodally respiring turtles, Journal of Zoology; Clark et al. (2008), Diving behaviour, aquatic respiration and blood respiratory properties of hatchling and juvenile Australian turtles, Journal of Zoology

How many breaths do green turtles take after a resting dive?

Five to seven.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Sea turtles hold their breath) · Okuyama et al. (2014), Surfacers change their dive tactics depending on the aim of the dive (green turtles), PMC

When does cloacal breathing work best?

Cool, oxygen-rich water.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Cool water helps) · Gordos (2004), Diving physiological ecology of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle Rheodytes leukops (thesis)

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. How do sea turtles mainly get oxygen on long dives?

    1. Stored lung air
    2. Cloacal breathing
    3. Gills
    4. Skin only
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Stored lung air They're air-breathers that rely on stored oxygen. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Sea turtles hold their breath) · Okuyama et al. (2014), Surfacers change their dive tactics depending on the aim of the dive (green turtles), PMC

  2. Which turtle is famous for cloacal breathing?

    1. Fitzroy River turtle
    2. Leatherback
    3. Box turtle
    4. Galápagos tortoise
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Fitzroy River turtle Australia's Fitzroy River turtle. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Breathing through the cloaca) · Gordos (2004), Diving physiological ecology of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle Rheodytes leukops (thesis); Gordos & Franklin (2002), Diving behaviour of two Australian bimodally respiring turtles, Journal of Zoology

  3. What was the longest wild dive recorded for the Fitzroy River turtle?

    1. 623 minutes
    2. 62 seconds
    3. 6 minutes
    4. 62 days
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 623 minutes 623 minutes (over 10 hours). Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (How long) · Gordos & Franklin (2002), Diving behaviour of two Australian bimodally respiring turtles, Journal of Zoology; Clark et al. (2008), Diving behaviour, aquatic respiration and blood respiratory properties of hatchling and juvenile Australian turtles, Journal of Zoology

  4. How many breaths do green turtles take after a resting dive?

    1. Five to seven
    2. One
    3. Fifty
    4. None
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Five to seven Five to seven. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Sea turtles hold their breath) · Okuyama et al. (2014), Surfacers change their dive tactics depending on the aim of the dive (green turtles), PMC

  5. When does cloacal breathing work best?

    1. In cool, oxygen-rich water
    2. In warm, stagnant water
    3. On land
    4. In salt water only
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. In cool, oxygen-rich water Cool, oxygen-rich water. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Cool water helps) · Gordos (2004), Diving physiological ecology of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle Rheodytes leukops (thesis)

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Turtle Torpor." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-683, last updated Dec 23, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/turtle-torpor/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/turtle-torpor/ · Last updated

Markdown version

Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-683-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/turtle-torpor/#DD-683-F01