Sperm whales are the loudest animals on the planet, with a sound intensity of 236 dB underwater or 174.5 dB on land.
The battle for the title of the loudest animal occurs in the ocean and likely involves one of two species: sperm whales or blue whales. While blue whales are the largest animals on Earth, sperm whales are believed to produce the loudest sounds in the world, although the answer is quite complex, according to IFL Science.
The clicks of sperm whales are the loudest sounds. (Photo: Martin Prochazkacz/Justin Dawson)
We often quantify sound intensity in decibels, but sound behaves differently underwater compared to in the air. Water is denser than air, and sound travels faster in water. Therefore, 100 decibels (dB) in water does not equate to 100 dB in air. To make a more accurate comparison of underwater decibels to air decibels, we need to subtract the pressure difference (25.5 dB) along with the differences in density and sound speed between air and water (36 dB).
The loudest sound produced by sperm whales, their short clicks, has been recorded at 236 dB underwater, which is equivalent to 174.5 dB in air, even louder than a jet engine at 140 dB. The sound of blue whales is around 188 dB, but that measurement is underwater. The equivalent intensity of a blue whale’s call in air is 126.5 dB, placing it behind the sperm whale.
On land, you might need to wear ear protection if you visit the habitat of the howler monkey. This primate is the loudest animal on land and the second loudest in nature. Their howls can reach levels of 140 dB in air and can be heard from approximately 5 kilometers away, comparable to the noise of a jet engine during takeoff and exceeding the threshold that causes ear pain by more than 10 dB.
