Conservation energetics of beluga whales: Rates of energy consumption during submerged swimming in beluga whales

The balance between energetic costs and acquisition in free-ranging species is essential for survival and provides important insights regarding the physiological impact of anthropogenic disturbance on wild animals. Here we examine the resting and swimming energetics of beluga whales using open-flow respirometry and accelerometer tags to develop predictive energetic metrics for wild populations of belugas in Cook Inlet Alaska.

Methods
The data was collected on trained adult beluga whales at the Georgia Aquarium. Energetics are based on open-flow respirometry for animals resting on the water surface or swimming a perimeter route below the water surface. Two animals wore a CATS accelerometer tag that was placed with suction cups on the dorsal surface next to the dorsal ridge. The data presented here are the original data from Figure 4 of the Journal of Experimental Biology article, Conservation Energetics of Beluga Whales, which further details the methodology.