Turtles have been spotted performing underwater push-ups while hibernating – something that might help them grab enough oxygen to stay alive .

Mike Plummer from Harding University in Arkansas and his colleagues noticed the behaviour by chance while keeping about 25 smooth softshell turtles ( Apalone mutica ) in an outdoor simulated pond.

During regular check-ups while the turtles were hibernating , the researchers saw them regularly raise and lower the back part of their body in a push-up fashion over 1000 times. “We were very surprised to see the …