Polar bears can typically hold their breath underwater for about 2 minutes while hunting or swimming, which allows them to dive beneath the surface to catch prey or search for food along the seafloor

. However, there is a recorded exceptional case of a polar bear holding its breath for a record-breaking 3 minutes and 10 seconds during a dive near Svalbard, where it reached depths of 45 to 50 meters (147 to 164 feet)

. This extraordinary dive far exceeds the usual duration and suggests that polar bears have a significant capacity for breath-holding, likely as an adaptation to their aquatic hunting environment

. In summary:

• Typical breath-hold duration: up to about 2 minutes

• Record dive duration: 3 minutes and 10 seconds at significant depth

This ability helps polar bears survive and hunt in their rapidly changing Arctic habitat where sea ice is diminishing, requiring them to spend more time in the water