An especially popular killer whale put a dead fish on his head, in a throwback to a fashion last seen in the 1980s.

I n late October, observers off the coast of Washington State witnessed an unusual sight: orcas swimming with dead salmon perched on their heads. This behavior, first noted in 198

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.

The fashionistas of the ocean have spoken, and it’s official -- salmon hats are making a comeback among orcas.

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.

In the cold waters of Puget Sound, Washington, a peculiar fashion statement has resurfaced after nearly four decades. Orcas, the ocean’s charismatic black-and-white predators, are donning “salmon hats” again—balancing dead fish on their heads as they swim.