A photograph of a Puget Sound orca with a salmon balanced across its head has revived one of the strangest episodes in killer-whale history—but one fish-on-head snapshot is not enough to prove that the Southern Residents’ 1980s “salmon-hat” fad has returned.
A photograph of a Puget Sound orca with a salmon balanced across its head has revived one of the strangest episodes in killer-whale history—but one fish-on-head snapshot is not enough to prove that the Southern Residents’ 1980s “salmon-hat” fad has returned.
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What the photograph shows
The whale is J27, known as “Blackberry,” a member of the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. Photographer Jim Pasola captured the image on October 25, 2024, near Point No Point in Puget Sound, Washington. In the striking frame, a shiny silver salmon appears to lie across the top of Blackberry’s head.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteOrca Network’s October 2024 sighting log referred to the image as “the salmon hat.” The nickname is memorable, but it should not be taken too literally: the photograph documents a moment when a fish was positioned on the whale’s head. It does not establish how long the salmon stayed there, whether Blackberry deliberately balanced it, or what the behavior meant.
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Why people connected it to a 1980s “salmon-hat” fad
The comparison comes from a documented 1987 episode involving Southern Resident killer whales. According to a NOAA-hosted scientific account, a female in K Pod began carrying a dead salmon on her head. Within weeks, whales in J and L pods were also repeating the behavior.
That episode was notable for two reasons. First, the behavior appeared to spread between pods, suggesting a form of social learning. Second, it was temporary: researchers did not observe the behavior in any Southern Resident pod the following summer. The combination of cross-pod spread and short duration is why the 1987 episode has been described as a socially transmitted fad or tradition.
It is important, however, to distinguish that multi-whale event from the 2024 photograph. The old episode involved repeated observations across J, K, and L pods. The new image is compelling evidence of a fish-on-head moment, but it is not evidence by itself of a population-wide trend.
Has the salmon-hat behavior returned?
It has not been proven. Experts cited in reviews of the photograph have cautioned that calling the image a “salmon hat” is already an interpretation—and calling it a revival of the 1980s fad would go further still.
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There are indications that the 2024 image was not the only fish-on-head observation. Researcher Deborah Giles reportedly saw another orca balancing a salmon but did not have enough time to photograph or identify the whale. The Washington Post also reported two separate 2024 observations.
Those reports make a cautious conclusion possible: the behavior may have reappeared sporadically. But the available evidence does not demonstrate the same kind of spread among pods that made the 1987 episode unusual. It is therefore more accurate to say that a strange behavior associated with the 1980s was observed again in 2024—not that the whales have definitely revived their old fashion trend.
What might explain a salmon on an orca’s head?
No confirmed explanation exists for Blackberry’s behavior. Several possibilities have been discussed:
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- Prey handling: The fish may have landed on the whale’s head while Blackberry was catching or moving it.
- Food carrying: The whale could have been temporarily carrying prey before eating it, although the photograph cannot establish that interpretation.
- Social learning: Southern Resident killer whales are capable of transmitting behavioral traditions, so a learned behavior is possible—but the 2024 evidence does not show that this happened.
- A seasonal or local behavior: Some observers have considered whether salmon availability or local conditions could play a role. That remains a hypothesis, not a conclusion about this sighting.
The photograph does not show that Blackberry was celebrating abundant salmon, giving the fish as a gift, mourning, or deliberately wearing a fashion accessory. Nor does it prove that the population had unusually plentiful food. A single image cannot answer those questions.
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Why the salmon matters to Southern Resident orcas
The fish-on-head image is lighthearted, but Blackberry belongs to a population facing serious conservation challenges. Southern Resident killer whales are an endangered population in the United States. They depend heavily on fish, particularly Chinook salmon, and are affected by limited prey, contaminants, and vessel noise or disturbance.
NOAA status-review material summarizing one diet study found that salmonids made up more than 98.6 percent of analyzed genetic diet sequences. Chinook salmon accounted for approximately 79.5 percent and coho for approximately 15 percent of those sequences. These figures help explain why salmon is ecologically important to Southern Residents; they do not show that the salmon in the photograph was easy to find or that the whale’s behavior reflected food abundance.
Salmon availability and quality remain central conservation concerns in the Salish Sea and along the Pacific Northwest coast. Contaminants can move through the food web, while vessel traffic can interfere with the whales’ ability to forage and communicate. The novelty of a “salmon hat” should not obscure the fact that the population’s long-term prospects depend on reliable, healthy prey and protection from human-caused disturbance.
A memorable image, but not yet a cultural comeback
Blackberry’s photograph is valuable because it records an unusual moment and points researchers and the public toward a behavior with a documented history. It may eventually become part of evidence for a recurring or socially transmitted behavior if observers record more incidents, identify the whales involved, and determine whether the behavior spreads between family groups or pods.
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For now, the strongest wording is also the most precise: J27 Blackberry was photographed with a salmon across his head near Point No Point on October 25, 2024, and other 2024 observers reported similar moments. The evidence is intriguing, but it falls short of proving that the Southern Residents’ 1987 salmon-carrying fad is back.
For young ocean fans
A clearly labeled orca plush toy can make the story more tangible for children, educators, and marine-life fans. It should be treated as a general ocean-themed keepsake—not as a model of J27 Blackberry, a reproduction of the salmon-hat behavior, or a conservation endorsement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which orca was photographed with the salmon?
The whale was J27 “Blackberry,” a member of the Southern Resident killer whale population. Photographer Jim Pasola captured the image near Point No Point in Puget Sound on October 25, 2024.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchDid the orcas bring back their 1980s salmon-hat trend?
Not based on the available evidence. The photograph and other reported 2024 observations suggest the behavior may have reappeared sporadically, but researchers have not documented spread across pods comparable to the 1987 episode.
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Why would an orca balance a salmon on its head?
Researchers have proposed play, prey handling, temporarily carrying food, or social learning. None of these explanations has been confirmed for Blackberry’s sighting.
Why are salmon important to Southern Resident killer whales?
Southern Resident killer whales eat fish, especially Chinook salmon. The population is endangered in the United States and faces threats including limited prey, contaminants, and vessel noise or disturbance. The photograph itself does not prove that salmon were unusually abundant.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: The October 25, 2024 photograph shows Southern Resident orca J27 “Blackberry” with a salmon across his head near Point No Point. Similar behavior spread among J, K, and L pods in 1987, but the 2024 sightings are too limited to establish that the old fad has returned.
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