Another fashion trend is making a comeback, just like leopard print, but it’s not for humans! After disappearing for 37 years, killer whales, or orcas, in the Pacific Northwest are bringing back the trend of wearing dead salmon as hats, according to Jason Dookeran of The Travel. There have been several sightings of these fin-tastic fashionistas, but are they wearing these hats for fashion or do they have another purpose?
I asked around to see what BHS students thought about this trend. Nicholas Ang (‘25) thinks “it’s very cool” but maybe “just fashion.” He also suggested another idea: maybe there’s a recessive gene in play. I don’t know much about genetics, but Nicholas said perhaps “the generation before them didn’t [wear the hats] but now they have the urge.” One junior I asked thinks “they could be wearing the dead salmon to prove their superiority based solely on who has the biggest hat.” A freshman thought along the same lines, saying it could be “like a recognition of their kills or status.” We humans compare social status based on what clothes we can afford, so maybe the coolest orca will have the biggest hat. Keiton Rowles (‘25) stated “Orcas are very smart creatures,” and “obviously, they like to do a little bit of [a] fashion show.” These salmon hats could be an instance of bonding between orcas.
These are all great hypotheses, but why are our orcas actually putting dead salmon on their heads? Surely there is logic behind this phenomenon. So let’s go back to where it started.
This trend began in 1987 when one female orca was spotted wearing one of these salmon hats. Soon, her entire pod copied the trend, spreading to other pods too. According to Dookeran, scientists categorize this behavior as a brief “pattern initiated by one or two individuals and adopted by others in the group before eventually being abandoned.” In other words—it’s a “fad.” But I have hope! When I first heard about this curious phenomenon, I assumed the killer whales were carrying the salmon on their heads to save them for later, as much as I wish they were for fashion. Dr. Deborah Giles proposed “that the orcas [keep] the fish on their heads so they [can] eat them later or share them with a podmate” in an interview with Mindy Weisberger from CNN. Orcas are incredibly social creatures so it makes sense they would want to share food with others. The junior correctly guessed another theory: thanks to plentiful salmon supplies, killer whales can have the ability to “just be playing with their food like children.” With an excess of food supplies, the orcas can afford to be more playful instead of having to conserve food.
It seems like this event is temporary, thanks to an excess of food and a few influential killer whales, just like most fashion trends. But I think it’s a fun “blast to the past,” as Nicholas put it, and I hope these playful creatures keep the trend up for a bit longer.
