Orcas spotted wearing salmon hats again as 2024 brings unusual animal news

In 2024, orcas were seen wearing salmon hats again after 37 years, likely due to an abundance of chum salmon. This unusual behavior has puzzled scientists, who speculate it may be a way for the orcas to save food. Other notable animal stories included female gibbons dancing for an audience and rare instances of predators eating each other. A pregnant portbeagle shark was eaten by another shark, while a Burmese python consumed a larger reticulated python. In paleontology, significant discoveries included a mummified woolly rhino and mammoth bones found in Austria. Researchers also reported on the potential de-extinction of species like the woolly mammoth and Tasmanian tiger, raising questions about ecological impacts.