I am surprised to hear that as you must be a regular zoo visitor. They often roar at much the same time of day, so try and find out the best time to hear them at your local zoo.
Important Zoo Sounds.
- Thread starter European Fauna
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I am surprised to hear that as you must be a regular zoo visitor. They often roar at much the same time of day, so try and find out the best time to hear them at your local zoo.
They haven't for a while but years ago the DWA had bare-throated bellbirds in the Orinoco rainforest exhibit. I doubt many people saw them but everyone heard them...they called all day and you could hear them everywhere in the building, even in the aquarium!
Toucans are also quite loud sometimes.
Toucans are also quite loud sometimes.
Blackduiker
Well-Known Member
Ever heard the high-pitch call of a Mountain Tapir? Very endearing.
I think that Giant Otters make sounds very similar to the ones hatchling alligators make when they call to their parents (at least from what I've seen on TV). The otters are very vocal and the noises they make are quite loud, but when housed outdoors (Philadelphia) their calls are quickly drowned out by the rest of the zoo when you leave the immediate area. (They also have some Hyacinth Macaws close by, so they add some background noise.)
After some Youtube searching I guess that I've never heard the "loud" calls of the Giant Otters. The noise I described seems to be more of a contact call between animals, whereas the "loud" call seems to occur less frequently.
In this video you can hear both types of calls (at about 20 seconds into the video).
In this video you can hear both types of calls (at about 20 seconds into the video).
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eduardo_Brazil
Well-Known Member
Hi,
We have very loud animals at our facility:
Spider monkeys are very loud ! You can hear them about 4 KM. And you only know that is a spider monkey if you are near by, some times you think that there are chicken calling around!
Yellow footed tortoises are very loud in the matting season!
Lion Tamarins in general also have loud vocalisations that can be heard for big distances!
Orinoco Geese also cames to my mind!
Cheers,
Eduardo
We have very loud animals at our facility:
Spider monkeys are very loud ! You can hear them about 4 KM. And you only know that is a spider monkey if you are near by, some times you think that there are chicken calling around!
Yellow footed tortoises are very loud in the matting season!
Lion Tamarins in general also have loud vocalisations that can be heard for big distances!
Orinoco Geese also cames to my mind!
Cheers,
Eduardo
Ann Littlewood
Well-Known Member
I can sympathize with Rookeyper, but I'm convinced that an upset barn owl is the loudest creature on the planet. Trying to tube or treat one that is in full scream is a recipe for life-long deafness. Incredible. I was, however, quite amazed to hear their normal, non-defensive call at a friend's farm a few month's ago. Quiet and rather melodious. I'd never heard that call despite all the dozens of barn owls I helped rehab and release.
One animal that noone has mentioned: Binturong.
When I was at San Diego last summer I happened to pass by the Binturong exhibit, and the male was chasing the female. Every time the male got close, the female made these sounds, I think the best way to describe them would be a macaw squawk that's at a low volume but still very long in duration, except that macaw had a soar throat. Very strange.
Also, the last time I was at the DWA, I heard one of their capuchinbirds. I never saw it, the only reason I knew what it was is because I had heard them before on TV. Really strange sound.
Penguins also make some interesting sounds if you're close by. And crowned pigeons. If you're in an indoor exhibit with crowned pigeons and they decide to call, you'll definitely hear it. Their calls resonate throughout the building and aren't what you'd normally expect, very low and boomy.
Great Argus Pheasants also come to mind...
When I was at San Diego last summer I happened to pass by the Binturong exhibit, and the male was chasing the female. Every time the male got close, the female made these sounds, I think the best way to describe them would be a macaw squawk that's at a low volume but still very long in duration, except that macaw had a soar throat. Very strange.
Also, the last time I was at the DWA, I heard one of their capuchinbirds. I never saw it, the only reason I knew what it was is because I had heard them before on TV. Really strange sound.
Penguins also make some interesting sounds if you're close by. And crowned pigeons. If you're in an indoor exhibit with crowned pigeons and they decide to call, you'll definitely hear it. Their calls resonate throughout the building and aren't what you'd normally expect, very low and boomy.
Great Argus Pheasants also come to mind...
Sounds at Chester:
* The gibbons singing
* The twittering of the freeflight birds in the Tropical Realm and Tsavo aviary.
* Turacos
* Giant otters and the Asian short-clawed
* A massive group of flamingos
* Lions
* Hornbills displaying
* The gibbons singing
* The twittering of the freeflight birds in the Tropical Realm and Tsavo aviary.
* Turacos
* Giant otters and the Asian short-clawed
* A massive group of flamingos
* Lions
* Hornbills displaying
I also seen Binturongs courting, and each time the female produced a discrete puff of smell from her anal glands together with the call. It could like sharply turn the smell on and off. Even my puny human nose smelled it!
I encourage all zookeepers and zooworkers to study in detail sounds of mammals in their care. Surprisingly many different sounds of even common wild mammals are virtually unstudied and undescribed. Besides scientific interest, it has, of course, direct practical purpose.
I wonder if anybody working with cats can answer:
Is it true that mating sound of every species of small cat is different, as much as eg. sounds of owls?
I love animal sounds too, and that is why I don't like glass, it having ruined many an otherwise excellent photo is another reason why I don't like it. Glass makes observing an animal not so much different from watching Animal Planet in the living room at home as it cuts off both sound and smell.
We thought they sounded like 50 cc motorcycles, they were in the trees in some sort of sanctuary in Australia.
One of the best I heard recently was Grishkin the lynx at the New Forest Wildlife Park; I was quite a way away from her enclosure, but that yowl was as clear as anything and pretty weird too, like a cross between a fox bark and someone stubbing their toe! Another distinctive sound is obviously siamang gibbons calling which you can hear absolutely everywhere whatever zoo your at, and brings back strong memories of childhood visits to Marwell. Sadly you don't hear then very often there now, probably due to their lack of swinging equipment. 
Another one is the combination of the boat's motor with sea lion barks at Longleat, I always have the five year old inside me being excited by that!
Another one is the combination of the boat's motor with sea lion barks at Longleat, I always have the five year old inside me being excited by that!
Its much quieter than it used to be in former times. As mentioned on other threads, the most evocative sound was the Bull sealion calling almost continuously. The call of Fish eagles was another distinct sound, and Lar gibbons too. At one time (1960's) another regular 'caller' was the Grevy Zebra stallion on the Cotton terraces, his bray could be heard from all over the zoo at frequent intervals throughout the day.
In the old Lion House, the acoustics meant the noise became almost deafening when the Lions started to roar in sequence. First one would start, then others would join in from the neighbouring cages until there was a real din going on. Small children would be frightened and leave the house, but most people were awestruck and thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
Lions roaring - Asha at Chester - Lazy Summer Evening - not much more than arms length away,looking right at us & roared
Yorkshire Wildlife Park on the bridge with lions on all sides probably about 8 of the 13 roaring at once - both spine tingling moments
Amur leopard purring - Colchester - amazing!
Yorkshire Wildlife Park on the bridge with lions on all sides probably about 8 of the 13 roaring at once - both spine tingling moments
Amur leopard purring - Colchester - amazing!