Dataset for publication "The effect of formation swimming on tailbeat and breathing frequencies in killer whales"

<p>Data collected by the Center for Whale Research under federal permit provided by National Marine Fisheries Service (permit number 21238). Observation of the Southern Resident killer whale population (<i>Orcinus orca</i>) with aerial drone-based videos recorded during the summer season in 2019 and 2021. Observations conducted during formation swimming sequences in which the whales displayed a directional and regular cruising swimming pattern (i.e., without sharp changes in direction, chasing prey, social interactions, or surface-active behaviors) to estimate their relative energetic expenditure by estimating the breathing frequency and tailbeat frequency of each individual depending on its positioning relative to the other whales.</p>