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Listen to a Shark ‘Chirp’ in First-of-Its-Kind Audio Recording

New research reveals that rig sharks produce loud chirping sounds, challenging the belief that sharks are silent.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Scientists have captured little chirps from rig sharks (also known as ‘lemon fish‘ and ‘spotted dogfish,‘ according to the NIWA).
Scientists have captured little chirps from rig sharks (also known as ‘lemon fish‘ and ‘spotted dogfish,‘ according to the NIWA). | Stockbyte/GettyImages

Many sharks, such as great whites, are carnivorous swimmers that can reach high speeds. Despite their ferocious reputation, they largely move in silence. At least, that’s what scientists previously believed. The sounds of a shark have been recorded by scientists by the first time—and they’re not as intimidating as you might imagine.

As reported in a new study published in Royal Society Open Science, researchers from the U.S., Belgium, and New Zealand recently discovered that rig sharks, a small species found along the coasts of New Zealand, can make noises. The study’s lead author and researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Carolin Nieder, unintentionally caught the sounds during her PhD research at the University of Auckland in New Zealand in 2021. When the scientist handled the rig sharks, they’d make several short chirps. More specifically, Nieder told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the clicks sounded like electric sparks. It was generally accepted that sharks couldn’t make sounds, so this puzzled researchers at first. But the audio, which you can listen to below, was undeniable and warranted further investigation.

From May 2021 to April 2022, Nieder and the team studied 10 juvenile rig sharks to get more information about the clicks. The scientists held each shark for 20 seconds while recording its noises. Although the chirps were short, each lasting for an average of 48 milliseconds, they were loud, reaching up to 155 decibels. That’s five decibels higher than a jet take-off at 25 meters (about 82 feet), which is loud enough to cause an eardrum rupture.

The sharks emitted nine clicks on average while being handled. They tended to move their heads and bodies, usually bending from side to side, while making the noises. Intense movements accompanied 25 percent of the noises, while calmer motions were paired with 70 percent of clicks. Only 5 percent of sounds occurred with no obvious movements. The rig sharks were more vocal during the first 10 seconds of being handled, and Nieder told CNN that they seemed to become quieter after growing accustomed to captivity.

These findings are the first to show that sharks can produce noise. However, it’s unlikely that rig sharks use the ability to communicate with each other because the sound frequencies are too high for their hearing capabilities. Scientists believe that the chirps may be a defense mechanism, as many predators of rig sharks can hear the sound. More research must be done to understand how the animals make the clicks and if they typically produce them in their natural habitat.

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