Orcas Are Wearing Dead Salmon as Hats

Orcas Are Wearing Dead Salmon as Hats, And Scientists Are Stumped
The salmon hat craze was first observed in 1987 when a female orca in the Puget Sound area of the northeast Pacific was seen carrying a solitary dead fish on her nose. Within a few weeks the behavior was picked up by members of other pods, suggesting something about it must have appealed.
Killer whale in Washington state revives '80s trend of dead salmon hats
Researchers recently observed a killer whale (Orca) wearing dead salmon on their heads as hats, and believe it or not it's not the first time. It's something that the Orcas were doing back in the 1980s.
Killer Whale Spotted Wearing Dead Salmon as a Hat
Though researchers have some best guesses, nobody seems to know for sure why exactly a killer whale in Washington state was wearing a dead fish as a hat.
Orcas start wearing dead salmon hats again after ditching the trend for 37 years
Orcas off the coast of Washington State are balancing dead fish on their heads like it's the 1980s, but researchers still aren't sure why they do it.
Orcas Are Wearing Salmon Hats. Again.
An especially popular killer whale put a dead fish on his head, in a throwback to a fashion last seen in the 1980s.
Orca spotted wearing 'dead salmon hat,’ experts say it's a good sign
A resident orca off the coast of Washington state was recently spotted sporting a dead salmon on its head. The phenomenon was first documented in 1987, when whales from three separate pods were seen wearing salmon like hats.
Are Orca Whales Wearing Dead Salmon As Hats For Fashion? An Investigation
Orca whales have been spotted wearing dead salmon as hats, simultaneously charming and confounding scientists around the world. On October 25, an Orca whale from a group of whales called the J pod was spotted with a dead salmon perched on top of its head as it swam through Puget Sound in Washington State, USA.
Trendsetting orcas bringing ‘80s fashion back to the Puget Sound: salmon hats
It’s a very sophisticated thing to do something for no purpose other than that it amuses you,” on researcher said.
Orcas revive 'dead salmon hat' trend from the 1980s
The J-, K- and L-pods are down to just 73 orcas, according to the latest census completed in July by the Center for Whale Research, based in Friday Harbor, Washington. Two adult males were lost and a male calf that was born and counted in the census period subsequently died.
Strange Trend Returns After 40 Years: Orcas Are Wearing Salmon “Hats”
Sometimes, nature surprises us with behavior that feels more like a quirky human trend than an animal instinct. That’s exactly what’s happening off the Pacific Northwest coast, where orcas are once again donning “hats” made from dead salmon.
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Dozens of salmon rotting in San Joaquin County waterway spark frustration
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Killer whales revive 1980s ‘dead salmon on head’ look
A pod of killer whales has revived a curious trend from the 1980s in which they swim around with dead salmon balanced on ...