World's Loudest Animals: How Many Decibels of Sound Can They Produce?

(Photo : Pixabay / Jogi031 )

While some animals are extraordinarily soft and silent, there are also other creatures that boast of remarkably loudness.

Loudest Animals in the World

Human conversations typically have an average decibel count of 50. The eardrum of humans may also rupture at 200 decibels. Interestingly, there are several animals that near this decibel level on a regular basis.

Howler Monkeys

The screams of male howler monkeys can be as loud as 140 decibels. The vocalization loudness depends on different factors.

The first one is the environment, if it is an area where the sound is bound to echo well. Secondly, if female howler monkeys get attracted by the sound, the males will scream even louder with hopes of exciting the female. The third one is if the howler monkey is engaging in a competition with other males. In this case, they may try to scream as loud as possible.

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Greater Bulldog Bat

Like male howler monkeys, greater bulldog bats can also be as loud as 140 decibels. These creatures reside in Argentina, Mexico, and certain Carribean Islands. Their screeching sounds are about a hundred times louder compared to a rock concert.

The sound of the greater bulldog bat has the highest sound frequency compared to other bat species. However, it does not carry as well through the air among those with screeches of lower frequencies.

Blue Whales

One of the biggest creatures alive, blue whales also make some of the loudest sounds. Given their massive size, this may not come as a surprise.

The sounds of these creatures have the same frequency as other sounds, such as low-frequency active sonar and ship engines, in the oceans where they dwell in. Though blue whales typically move through thousands of miles on their own, the noise pollution in the ocean could lead to issues pertaining to navigation, feeding, breeding, and communication.

The source of the novel blue whale sound could be found in the nasal sacs and larynx of blue whales.

Mantis Shrimp

Mantis shrimp that dwell in temperate and tropical seas can make sounds that reach up to 200 decibels. These creatures that a distinct claw that they can use to rapidly catch their prey. As they close this claw, a strong popping sound is produced from the water bubble that forms. This sounds could go up to 200 decibels. The strong sounds scares the prey, which then grants them time for catching and dismantling it.

Mantis shrimps are the only creatures in the world that make use of sound in the process of cavitation. The entire process also involves the release of heat that exceeds the temperature of the solar surface.

Sperm Whale

Sperm whales top the records as the world's largest animal, being able to produce clicking sounds that are as loud as 233 decibels. On top of this, it is also considered the largest whale with teeth on Earth. Its brain also exceeds the size of every other creature.

Whales in the past reported hearing hammer-like sounds whenever they were able to catch a sperm whale. Scientists are now familiar with how accurate the reports are. They think that the head of the sperm whale serves as a massive telegraph machine that makes sounds by forcing air into the right nostril, which runs by various sacs full of air.

The whale also has a unique feature called monkey lips that clumps shut. The air then keeps on bouncing off the sacs and makes the distinct sound. This animal then travels through the brain of the animal, where it gets amplified louder before finally leaving the body of the whale.