Plunge-diving gannets hit the water at speeds of up to 86kph – fast enough to do some serious damage if they were a human diver.
The bird’s long, slender neck may look like it would buckle on impact, but the muscles are arranged to lock the vertebrae in place before entry – to the extent that gannets are theoretically capable of withstanding dive speeds of up to 288kph.
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Other adaptations include a lack of external nostrils, which prevents water from being forced into the head, and air sacs under the skin that cushion the seabird’s breast.
- Watch hungry gannets performing death-defying, perilous dives at breakneck speeds to catch food – where one small mistake can lead to death
- Despite weighing up to 4 tonnes, this mammal can dive to depths of 2000 metres, hold its breath for an incredible two hours and even control its heart rate
Main image: Diving gannet in the Shetland Isles. © Chris Gomersall/NPL/Getty
