In the summer of 1987, a curious and amusing behavior was observed in orcas from the Pacific Northwest’s “southern resident” population: they began wearing dead salmon on their heads. Initially, this quirky trend was seen in one female orca, but it soon spread to other pods. However, after a brief period, the fish-head fashion seemed to disappear, much like the poodle perm of the time.
Recently, though, the trend made a comeback. In October 2023, orca enthusiasts spotted at least one killer whale flaunting the fishy accessory again. Deborah Giles, research director for Wild Orca, commented on the unusual sighting, saying, “We saw one with a fish on its head… it’s been a while since I’ve personally seen it.”
The resurgence was captured in a photo by photographer Jim Pasola, showing a male orca, J27 Blackberry, near Washington state’s Kitsap Peninsula, proudly sporting the dead salmon hat. The reasons for the return of this behavior remain unclear. Giles admitted, “We have no idea why this started again, why it happens or why it seems to be started again.”
However, researchers have speculated that the trend might be linked to an abundance of food. The orcas’ feeding grounds in South Puget Sound are currently experiencing a “bumper crop” of chum salmon. Andrew Trites, director of the University of British Columbia’s Marine Mammal Research Unit, proposed that the behavior might simply reflect the orcas’ playful nature. “Here we’ve got some animals that are playing with their food,” he said, suggesting that the orcas are likely well-fed and have some extra time on their fins to indulge in this quirky behavior.