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The Loudest Creatures on Earth

Some are enormous, whilst one is tiny. Most live in the ocean. Here's the Top 10.


For the animal kingdom’s loudest creatures, mastering sound is a survival strategy, a mating call, and even a weapon. Here are the loudest animals on Earth according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)...


Sperm whales

Sperm Whale: At up to 230 decibels, the whale’s vocalizations are the loudest sounds produced by any animal on Earth, louder than a jet engine at takeoff (about 150 decibels) and more than enough to rupture a human eardrum if heard up close. They use these deep, rumbling calls to communicate across vast distances in the ocean, sending information to each other about feeding grounds, navigation routes, and potential mates. These sounds occur at such low frequencies that they’re often inaudible to the human ear but can travel uninterrupted through hundreds, even thousands, of miles of seawater. Scientists believe these booming calls are part of a sophisticated social network, allowing whales to stay connected across vast distances.


Tiger pistol shrimp

Tiger Pistol Shrimp: Often called “nature’s smallest superhero,” this humble crustacean living on reefs, is only a few inches long but makes a noise loud enough to break glass. With a claw snap reaching over 200 decibels, it creates an underwater shockwave capable of stunning, or even killing, its prey. When the shrimp snaps its claw shut at lightning speed, it forms a bubble that bursts with such force it produces light and heat comparable to the surface of the sun, a phenomenon known as cavitation. This "superpower" serves as a tool for both hunting and defense, giving the shrimp a remarkable competitive edge. With its sonic weaponry, it enjoys the distinction of being the ocean’s tiniest (and deadliest) noisemaker.


Coming in at number 3 is the Blue Whale, whose calls reach 188 decibels; followed by the North Pacific right whale (181 decibels), and in fifth spot are Atlantic spotted dolphins at 163 decibels. Sixth and seventh places are held by Bottlenose dolphins and North Atlantic right whales, respectively.


greater bulldog bat

You have to get down to eighth place for a creature that doesn't live in water to make it into the charts. And that is the greater bulldog bat. Native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, the greater bulldog bat is a fish-eating bat species capable of producing sounds over 140 decibels. Also known as the fisherman bat, the greater bulldog bat makes echolocation sounds that are an abnormally high frequency for such a large bat species - it’s about 11 to 12 centimetres (4.3 to 4.7 inches) long with a 70-centimetre (27.5-inch) wingspan.


Rounding off the Top 10 are the rooster - used for centuries as natural alarm clocks, the crow of a rooster averages around 130 decibels, and a rooster in one study reached 136 decibels - followed by the northern elephant seal with calls that reach up to 131 decibels.

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