Orcas Revive ’80s Trend: Dead Salmon Hats Spotted Again!

Orcas, specifically from the southern resident population of the Pacific Northwest, are once again spotted wearing dead salmon on their heads. This behavior began in the summer of 1987 with one female orca and spread to other pods. After a period of decline, this quirky trend has resurfaced recently.

Over the past weeks, observers have seen at least one orca, J27 Blackberry, flaunting a salmon hat near Washington state’s Kitsap Peninsula. Deborah Giles, a researcher from the nonprofit Wild Orca, noted, “We saw one with a fish on its head. So that was fun – it’s been a while since I’ve personally seen it.”

The reason for this revival is unclear. Giles commented, “Honestly, we have no idea why this started again.” However, researchers suggest the trend might happen during times of abundant food. Currently, South Puget Sound has a significant increase in chum salmon, which could explain the orcas’ playful behavior.

Andrew Trites from the University of British Columbia supports this idea, saying, “Here we’ve got some animals that are playing with their food.” He believes that this indicates the orcas are well-fed and have time to engage in playful actions.