Killer whales have been spotted wearing dead fish on their heads – a look they were seen sporting nearly 40 years ago by researchers.
Images have surfaced of orcas across Pudget Sound in the Pacific Northwest wearing salmon on their heads in recent weeks.
But this is not the first time the deadly whales have been seen sporting the rather unique look.
Back in 1987, a female orca off the US west coast was seen with a dead salmon resting on the top of her head.
The look appeared to catch on when other female whales began to swim around with their ‘fish hats’.
Their odd behaviour had never been seen before, capturing the interest of researchers who saw it as example of an orca ‘fad’, as the action appeared to spread from killer whale to killer whale, despite serving no purpose.
The trend was shortlived, however, with scientists left to wonder why the marine animals ever started wearing the fish in the first place.
Killer whales have been spotted wearing dead fish on their heads
Researcher say their behaviour could be linked to a larger population of salmon in the waters this year, and because they have an abundance of fish around them, it is possible they might be saving them as a snack for later
Killer whales were first spotted wearing fish on their heads in in 198
But as salmon hats are back in fashion among orcas in the region, researchers say it is possible that the same whales from 1987 are simply trying to relive their youth.
Other reasons for their behaviour could be linked to a larger population of salmon in the waters this year, and because they have an abundance of fish around them, it is possible they might be saving them as a snack for later.
Images of the fahsionable killer whales come after a family of massive orcas were captured on dystopian video footage after they were spotted gliding through the waters of Canada.
False Creek Ferries, a local ferry company in the area, was traveling from the west end of downtown Vancouver to Kitsilano Beach when passengers were stunned with four surprise visitors – a 26-year-old mother killer whale and her three calves within just 10 feet of the boat.
‘It was pretty surreal,’ Jack Hemsworth, the captain of the ferry, told CityNews. ‘It was pretty crazy to see how big they really are, because they were bigger than the boat.’
The video shared to social media by the ferry company captured the transient killer whales – which are also known as Bigg’s killer whales – as they silently glided through the harbor past a row of high-rise buildings that served as their picture-perfect backdrop.
Amazed passengers can be heard in the background in absolute awe over the stunning sight – ‘wowing’ every time the pod appeared back to the surface.