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

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 (Orcinus orca) 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.