How long can a killer whale hold its breath?

An orca, more commonly known as a killer whale, can hold its breath for about 20 minutes. This is the longest time any type of dolphin can hold its breathe.

A killer whale breathes air into its lungs to acquire oxygen in a similar manner as humans do. Rather than having a nose on the front of his face, however, a killer whale has a blowhole on the top of his head. This adaptation allows a killer whale to take in necessary oxygen from just above the surface of water, rather than bringing his entire head above water. The average swimming speed of a killer whale is 15 kilometers per hour. This means a killer whale can leisurely swim for about 5 kilometers before it must come up for another breath of air.