The authors of the work observed three male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) who were specially trained to hold
We trained dolphins to do long and shortholding your breath. When they were asked to hold their breath, their heart rate decreased before or immediately after the start of the dive. We also noticed that the dolphins lowered their heart rates more and more quickly in preparation for a long swim.
Andreas Fahlman, doctor from the Oceanographic Park of Valencia
The results suggest that dolphins and possibly other marine mammals can consciously change their heart rate according to the duration of a planned dive.
Dolphins have the ability to change their heart rate in the same way that you and I can slow down our breathing rate, Fahlman suggests.
This, he adds, allows dolphins to saveoxygen during dives and may also be key to preventing diving-related problems such as decompression sickness, which occurs primarily due to a rapid decrease in the pressure of the inhaled gas mixture.
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