The natural world can be a noisy place - but some animals take it to the extreme. Here are eight of the loudest (seriously, some of these match artillery fire in decibels) animals found on Earth, including:
1. Screaming Bulldog BatsGiven the range of raucous bird calls, it may come as a surprise that the loudest flying animal is a bat. Though tiny, bulldog bats can hit 137 decibels - and they need to if they want their echolocation to work
These bats have a very high-pitched "voice" and make calls at a very high frequency. This isn't ideal, since high-frequency sounds attenuate (fade out) very quickly in the air, which poses a problem for echolocation. The bat has to put out a lot of sound if it wants to hear anything back!
Danionella cerebrum is a small fish used in research thanks to a transparent body - you can see the organs in action without having to do any form of surgery. The fish makes noise using a "drumstick" of cartilage powered by muscles attached to the ribs. This strikes the swim bladder, making a shockingly loud clicking sound. The resultant noise can hit 140 decibels (louder than nearby artillery fire) immediately around the 12mm fish, though it attenuates rapidly with distance.
Since the fish is found in clouded waters with poor visibility, researchers think that this may have evolved as a way to communicate (or threaten) other members of the species.
With a new home filled with insects and lacking any natural predators, the frogs rapidly dug in. The noise (comparable in volume to a lawnmower or blender) has led to Hawai'i employing teams of frog catchers who can identify (and in some cases mimic) the calls, hunting or luring them out by sound.
Experiencing these levels of sound would be harmful (and potentially lethal) to a human. Physics researcher Jürgen Altmann found that a 200-decibel blast was enough to damage internal organs.
5. The Mighty Howler MonkeyOne of the loudest animals found on dry land, the black howler monkey emits powerful howls (the clue is in the name, really), reaching 140 decibels. It relies on volume to claim territory and impress potential mates.
Found in the forests of South America, these primates spend a lot of time resting - their diet consists of leaves and fruits, leaving them without much energy to spend. It turns out that male howlers of each species invest the energy they do have in one of two ways - either they have a powerful voice or large testicles!
The claw arms as it opens, allowing water to enter a small chamber. Snapping the claw shut makes the water jet back out, generating 60mph bubbles that can concuss prey. The blasts of the shrimp can hit over 210 decibels, so perhaps artillery shrimp would be a better name.
The background chorus of snaps near shrimp-infested waters sounds like Rice Krispies or having a mouthful of popping candy. Some scientists are even attempting to monitor shrimp activity based on the number of snaps detected in the water!
The water boatman uses the song to attract a mate - and the louder the song, the more it stands out from the competition. Fortunately for those who live near them, around 99% of the sound is lost as it transfers from water to air.
- Screaming bulldog bats
- Fish that play their internal organs
- Frogs fighting the Hawai'ian government
- The whale with a deadly voice
- The mighty howler monkey
- The shrimp filling the ocean with clicks
- The indecent water boatman
- The loudest humans on Earth
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| Howler monkeys can hit 140 decibels! (Eric Gilbertsen) |
1. Screaming Bulldog BatsGiven the range of raucous bird calls, it may come as a surprise that the loudest flying animal is a bat. Though tiny, bulldog bats can hit 137 decibels - and they need to if they want their echolocation to work
These bats have a very high-pitched "voice" and make calls at a very high frequency. This isn't ideal, since high-frequency sounds attenuate (fade out) very quickly in the air, which poses a problem for echolocation. The bat has to put out a lot of sound if it wants to hear anything back!
2. Fish That Play Their Internal Organs
Researchers in Berlin were perplexed - people passing by the tanks they used to hold fish for research complained of a clicking sound. After a bit of investigation, they found that the fish themselves were the culprits - and as one got closer, the noise got much louder.Danionella cerebrum is a small fish used in research thanks to a transparent body - you can see the organs in action without having to do any form of surgery. The fish makes noise using a "drumstick" of cartilage powered by muscles attached to the ribs. This strikes the swim bladder, making a shockingly loud clicking sound. The resultant noise can hit 140 decibels (louder than nearby artillery fire) immediately around the 12mm fish, though it attenuates rapidly with distance.
Since the fish is found in clouded waters with poor visibility, researchers think that this may have evolved as a way to communicate (or threaten) other members of the species.
3. The Frog Fighting the Hawai'ian Government
Hawai'i has a booming tourist industry - but one unwelcome visitor is the coqui frog, called so for the distinctive male "ko-kee" call. This diminutive amphibian hails from Puerto Rico, where it seems beloved by the populace. Some of these frogs ended up in Hawai'i, where their 80–90 decibel chorus is much less appealing.With a new home filled with insects and lacking any natural predators, the frogs rapidly dug in. The noise (comparable in volume to a lawnmower or blender) has led to Hawai'i employing teams of frog catchers who can identify (and in some cases mimic) the calls, hunting or luring them out by sound.
4. The Whale With the Deadly Voice
The loudest animal on Earth is the sperm whale. This massive mammal lurks in the depths of the ocean, relying on echolocation to hunt prey. The unidirectional clicks this animal emits have been verified as reaching a brain-bursting 236 decibels. Other sperm whales can hear these vocalizations tens of kilometers away.Experiencing these levels of sound would be harmful (and potentially lethal) to a human. Physics researcher Jürgen Altmann found that a 200-decibel blast was enough to damage internal organs.
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| Some humans can hit incredible volumes as well... (engin akyurt) |
5. The Mighty Howler MonkeyOne of the loudest animals found on dry land, the black howler monkey emits powerful howls (the clue is in the name, really), reaching 140 decibels. It relies on volume to claim territory and impress potential mates.
Found in the forests of South America, these primates spend a lot of time resting - their diet consists of leaves and fruits, leaving them without much energy to spend. It turns out that male howlers of each species invest the energy they do have in one of two ways - either they have a powerful voice or large testicles!
6. Snap, Crackle and a Stunning Pop
The pistol shrimp has two different-sized claws - one of which is a devastating sonic weapon. The shrimp isn't particularly large, but the claw itself can grow to around half the length of the crustacean.The claw arms as it opens, allowing water to enter a small chamber. Snapping the claw shut makes the water jet back out, generating 60mph bubbles that can concuss prey. The blasts of the shrimp can hit over 210 decibels, so perhaps artillery shrimp would be a better name.
The background chorus of snaps near shrimp-infested waters sounds like Rice Krispies or having a mouthful of popping candy. Some scientists are even attempting to monitor shrimp activity based on the number of snaps detected in the water!
7. The Indecent Water Boatman
The humble water boatman is the loudest animal on Earth relative to body size. Though a mere two millimeters long, the aquatic insect has been recorded hitting 99.2 decibels. This impressive feat is made somewhat disturbing by the manner in which it is accomplished. This virtuoso generates noise via stridulation - or in other words, rubbing its penis against its abdomen.The water boatman uses the song to attract a mate - and the louder the song, the more it stands out from the competition. Fortunately for those who live near them, around 99% of the sound is lost as it transfers from water to air.
8. The Loudest Humans on Earth
We simply can't compete with some of the other entries on this list - but humans are capable of being pretty loud as well. Jill Drake managed to achieve the Guinness Record by hitting 129 decibels at the Millennium Dome in 2000 London (that's just shy of nearby artillery!) Meanwhile, Andrzej Szumlanski holds the Elite World Records title for hitting almost 139 decibels!Thanks for reading - you might also like...