For approximately how long can a beaver hold its breath underwater at one stretch?

Introduction / Context:
Beavers are semi aquatic mammals known for building dams and lodges in rivers and lakes. Their lifestyle requires them to stay underwater for significant amounts of time. This question tests your knowledge of how long a beaver can hold its breath underwater in a single stretch, a common fact in animals and birds general knowledge sections.

Given Data / Assumptions:

We are asked for an approximate time value in minutes. Options include 15, 25, 35, 55 and 5 minutes. We assume an adult beaver in good health under natural conditions.

Concept / Approach:
Beavers can stay submerged for much longer than humans because of several adaptations. They have efficient lungs, can slow their heart rate and store extra oxygen in their muscles and blood. Many reliable general knowledge sources state that a beaver can hold its breath for about 15 minutes underwater. This value is much longer than an average human breath hold but fits within a realistic biological range for a diving mammal of this size.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that beavers spend a lot of time underwater while building dams, swimming to their lodges and escaping predators. Step 2: Remember from GK notes that beavers can hold their breath for around 15 minutes. Step 3: Compare this with the listed options. Fifteen minutes stands out as the commonly quoted figure. Step 4: Larger values like 35 or 55 minutes would be extreme for an animal of this size and are not supported by usual references. Step 5: Five minutes is shorter than the standard figure used in quizzes and therefore is too low.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, consider similar diving mammals such as otters or seals. While marine mammals can have impressive breath holding times, the specific fact repeated for beavers in many question banks and online quizzes is 15 minutes. It places them among strong underwater performers without being unrealistic. Additionally, you may recall practice questions with the exact same options where 15 minutes is marked as the correct answer, which further confirms your choice in exam conditions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Five minutes is certainly possible for a beaver but does not match the widely quoted maximum or typical capacity that exam setters want you to remember. Twenty five, thirty five and fifty five minutes are far above the values recorded in standard references for beavers and are included mainly as distractors. They might be closer to claims made for some larger marine mammals, but not for beavers living in rivers and lakes.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to choose an extreme value because it sounds impressive and might be confused with trivia about whales or seals. Another error is to underestimate the animal and choose a very low value similar to what a human might manage. To avoid this, it is helpful to memorize a few standard numbers associated with well known animals, such as 15 minutes for a beaver, and recall them directly in multiple choice questions.

Final Answer:
A beaver can hold its breath underwater for approximately 15 minutes.