The animal kingdom produces an amazing variety of noises. Some of these sounds are so closely tied to the animal that makes them that they share the same name – Like the rattle from the tail of rattlesnake!
We’re all familiar with the roar of a lion and the barking from our furry dog friends, but what about the less obvious ones? Have you ever wondered if geckos actually make a sound? What about giraffes? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered! Have a read below for the strangest animal sounds we could find in the animal kingdom.
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Giraffes: Humming
Have you ever been to Monarto or Adelaide Zoo and wondered what noise a giraffe makes? You’re not alone! Until recently, scientists were under the impression that their long-necked vegetarian friends were strictly silent animals. A team at the University of Vienna set out to find out just that and, over an 8-year period, gathered 947 hours’ worth of noise recordings from giraffes. Other than the occasional snort or grunt, the team discovered that at night, giraffes hum to each other. That’s right, they hum! The humming was 92Hz in frequency, which is still audible to humans but it’s pretty low.
Piranhas: Barking
As it turns out, piranhas can be pretty great communicators and make some pretty interesting noises when they’re grumpy! Researchers were already aware that piranhas are able to make sounds – picking one up out of water can prompt a croak from red-bellied Piranhas. One fish tank, underwater microphone and piranha later, biologists discovered that dogs aren’t the only animals that bark – piranhas do too! A piranha’s bark is a not-so-subtle warning saying, ‘Leave me alone,’ ‘I might bite you,’ or ‘now I’m really angry.’
Cheetahs: Chirping
The cheetah lives mostly in southern Africa but has many of the same tendencies as a domesticated house cat. Their young aren’t too dissimilar from domesticated cats and kittens, they love to roughhouse and purr just like our feline friends! One of the biggest, and perhaps strangest, differences is in the very distinct ‘chirping’ sound that they make. The noise is incredibly similar to the call that comes from a distressed chickling, definitely one of the strangest animal sounds. Cheetahs typically use this call during distress or to locate their young.
Snapping Shrimp: Underwater Cannon
Also know as pistol shrimp, snapping shrimp are apart of the Alpheidae family, in which there are about 1,000 species. One distinct feature that many of these species have in common is the large front claw that can grow to be almost half the size of its body. You might think that the shrimp would use this claw to grab its prey, but they actually kill their prey with the noise it makes. Snapping shrimp are capable of snapping their claw shut so quickly and vigorously that it generates a shock wave as it moves away from the animal. The sound of the snap has been measured at over 200dB! That’s louder than a 12-gauge shotgun (165dB) and a jet engine (140db). That’s a pretty impressive sound for such a small animal, and what a way to hunt your prey!
Desert Rain Frog: Squeak
The desert rain frog is a solitary amphibian that can be found living exclusively along the western coast of South Africa and Namibia. When provoked, the frog makes one of the most bizarre animal sounds: an angry squeak that sounds almost identical to a squeaky toy! This squeaky amphibian has an extremely small habitat – only about 2,000 square kilometres – that is significantly threatened by habitat loss due to expanding cities. Follow the link below to watch BBC’s video of the desert rain frog squeaking his heart out:
Having trouble hearing your pets ask for breakfast in the morning? It might be time to get your hearing checked. You can get more information on our website or call one of our lovely reception staff on 8331 8047 to book in a complimentary hearing test at one of our clinics.
