# Turtle Torpor (DD-683)

> 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.

- Department: Nature (also Science)
- First published: 2025-12-23
- Last updated: 2025-12-23
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/turtle-torpor/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Quick facts

- **DD-683-F01**: Wild green turtles take five to seven breaths after a resting dive. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Sea turtles hold their breath))_
- **DD-683-F02**: Fitzroy River turtle dives reached up to 623 minutes. _(Write-up · Exhibit D (How long))_

## Write-up

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

1. **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. **Record dives**: A review of sea turtle diving reports single breath-hold dives of over 10 hours and depths beyond 1,200 m.
3. **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. **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. **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.

## Related case files

- [Dipping Dipper (DD-040)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/dipping-dipper/): Another animal adapted to working underwater
- [Ursine Uptime (DD-681)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ursine-uptime/): Another case about slowing down to survive
- [Jellyfish Delicious (DD-422)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/jellyfish-delicious/): I linked more sea turtles
- [Bdelloid Rotifers (DD-641)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/bdelloid-rotifers/): More survival by shutting down
- [Feminizing Frogs (DD-679)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/feminizing-frogs/): Another case about animals that live in water

## Reel vs. record

- **Mismatch**: the footage shows a sea turtle, but absorbing oxygen through the cloaca is mainly a trait of some freshwater turtles, such as Australia's Fitzroy River turtle. Sea turtles rely on lung air.
- **Wording**: the Reel's line 'allow them underwater' is missing a verb ('allow them to stay underwater').
- **Missing scale**: sea turtles can make single breath-hold dives of over 10 hours (review by Hochscheid).
- **Missing numbers**: the Fitzroy River turtle's wild dives averaged about 33 minutes and reached 623 minutes, and hatchlings got 63-73% of their oxygen from water.
- **Missing caveat**: aquatic breathing works best in cool, oxygen-rich water. In warm summer water the Fitzroy River turtle depends on air.

## Video: Turtle Torpor: One Breath, Hours Underwater

- Duration: 19.2 s · Published: 2025-12-23
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DSn-IHUAbn7.mp4

### Transcript

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!

## Questions & answers

**Q: How do sea turtles mainly get oxygen on long dives?**  
A: 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)_

**Q: Which turtle is famous for cloacal breathing?**  
A: 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)_

**Q: What was the longest wild dive recorded for the Fitzroy River turtle?**  
A: 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)_

**Q: How many breaths do green turtles take after a resting dive?**  
A: 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)_

**Q: When does cloacal breathing work best?**  
A: 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))_

## Sources

- [Gordos & Franklin (2002), Diving behaviour of two Australian bimodally respiring turtles, Journal of Zoology](https://doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902001474)
- [Clark et al. (2008), Diving behaviour, aquatic respiration and blood respiratory properties of hatchling and juvenile Australian turtles, Journal of Zoology](https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2008.00454.x)
- [Okuyama et al. (2014), Surfacers change their dive tactics depending on the aim of the dive (green turtles), PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4213604/)
- [Hochscheid (2014), Why we mind sea turtles' underwater business: a review on the study of diving behavior](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258515419_Why_we_mind_sea_turtles'_underwater_business_A_review_on_the_study_of_diving_behavior)
- [Gordos (2004), Diving physiological ecology of the bimodally respiring freshwater turtle Rheodytes leukops (thesis)](https://doi.org/10.14264/106752)

## 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/