Important Zoo Sounds.

European Fauna

European Fauna

Well-Known Member
I find animal calls hugely important for my enjoyment of a zoo visit.I particularly like to hear gibbons , lemurs and peafowl.If there is the sound of a fountain , waterfall or stream , so much the better and a light wind blowing through the trees makes for perfection.I also like to hear the take-offs and landings of waterfowl in a large zoo lake.Do zoos give sufficient thought to how they sound?Are some zoos too silent , due to species kept or other factors?Some zoos have a curious "soundtrack" - they may be situated beside a polo field , such as Dublin zoo, or perhaps even the sea or ocean may be heard.At the opposite extreme , other zoos are affected by traffic or aircraft noise.Certain zoos have very characteristic accoustic effects - for example , the sound of big cats carried across a lake situated in a depression, and sounding worryingly close.What are your favourite / least favourite zoos with regard to sound?Also , are the sounds of other species an important enrichment factor for zoo animals?
 
Ruffed Lemurs spring to mind instantly.

At Chester you can hear them clearly from the entrance despite being on the other side of the zoo. They are located close to the lions (which are quite vocal themselves) and you often see average zoo visitors look confused when they reach the lions and realise the sound is coming from elsewhere.
 
At Howletts, i saw a tiger once rear up onto its hind legs and snarl at the Elephants becuase they were "rumbling?" to one another. It was pretty spectacular!

I think gibbons are the best animals to listen to.
 
Blackduiker

The sounds associated with my Los Angeles Zoo memories would especially include: the Siamangs calling back and forth to each other, 3 individuals in 2 separate enclosures. When they begin their vocalizations it can be heard across the entire zoo and becomes one of the most crowded sites. The 3, a pair and their offspring, have been putting on the same performance for so many years it must be some sort of world record of longevity by now. Our former Ruffed Lemurs also use to put on quite a display with their very unexpected threatening sounds. And the Chimpanzee troop. Talk about drawing a lot of attention, as the dominant male makes his show of authority, often challenged by lesser males. Now that's really a spectacle! The roar of Lions can alert everyone to follow the sounds, just don''t expect to see very well if you've come a good ways from the exhibit when you get there. Everyone else may have beaten you to the spot. And of course as in many zoos, the familiar calls of Kookaburras and Peacocks. It just wouldn't be a zoo without hearing those on occasion.
 
CZJimmy said:
Ruffed Lemurs spring to mind instantly.

At Chester you can hear them clearly from the entrance despite being on the other side of the zoo. They are located close to the lions (which are quite vocal themselves) and you often see average zoo visitors look confused when they reach the lions and realise the sound is coming from elsewhere.
Click to expand...

Ruffed Lemurs have a very startling call, apart from the volume. At some zoos(e.g. Twycross) I have seen people jump at the suddenness of the call and then hurry toward the sound as if expecting something exciting to be happening.

I used to love seeing/hearing the Lions roar in the old 'Lion House' at London Zoo. The acoustics of the building (if not the cages) were ideal- one lion would start softly, building up as one by one others all joined in to reach a deafening crescendo- then winding down again until finally the last soft 'huffs' died away. Visitors in the house would always be awed by the experience though children were sometimes frightened by it.

Chimpanzees screaming is evocative too and promises some 'action' if you are near enough the enclosure.

When I used to visit Bristol Zoo in the 1950/60 era, they had a very active and excitable Grevy zebra stallion living in the (then) zebra/Antelope House- about where the Cassowaries are now. His territorial braying call was a familiar sound all over the zoo, every so often throughout the day.
The most pleasant and 'traditional' zoo sound for me is Gibbons early in the morning- with the promise of a day ahead at the zoo.
 
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My favourites are the gibbons. I agree with the other comments, I'd add some other characteristic sounds
  • howler monkeys
  • emus
  • bonobos (much higher-pitched than chimps)
  • bellbirds (remind me of the old Bird House at ZSL)
Alan
 
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Yes, I have never really thought about it before, but yes, animals' calls and sounds are very important to my enjoying overall Zoo visits. I like to hear the smaller monkeys squeaking and the birds chattering, the horses and donkeys (inc. Zebras) braying and the larger cats roaring, wolves howling and the sealions doing whatever they do... etc etc

EDIT: Oh! Oh! How could I have forgotten the sounds of Cranes calling! My favourites are the crowned cranes with their weird honking!
 
Blackduiker

How could I forget the Coyotes? Even after posting several signs not to imitate them, there were always visitors ignoring those signs, and yelping just to get them started. A sound I've grown very accustomed to in the last few years, with wild Coyotes running through my new neighborhood, and even on the hillside right behind my house! You can always tell when they're crossing my property at night and early in the morning, as my Border Collie goes crazy barking at them.

And have you ever heard male Koalas during mating season? When they were displayed indoors in the Koala House several years ago here in Los Angeles, the sound was deafening. Now that they're displayed outdoors, you rarely hear them at all. At least on my visits, even though they've been breeding very well.
 
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The sounds that I always associate with zoos are - children screaming:(
Every zoo I go to have these little animals with large lungs, I can't seem to avoid them.
Taronga zoo has Mary, a species of gibbon who loves to vocalise.
 
I love the sounds of the peacocks, no matter how often I hear them. I don't think I'd want to live next door to one, mind you :P I also love the sounds of lions and wolves. I remember one time I was at Jungle Cat World, and the wolves, coyotes and big cats were all vocalizing. It was really something.
 
Years ago I worked with our ruffed lemurs. Their call was deafening when they were inside in thier holding cages. We learned to literally drop everything and cover our ears until they quit! Now I hear the kookaburras calling, the black-backed magpie singing and the rainbow lorikeets chattering. I hear the call of the siamangs from the rainforest, the toot of the train whistle, the calls of the peacocks and know that it's time to start another day at the zoo.
 
My favorites are the gibbons/siamangs, small monkeys (tamarins, marmosets, etc), lemurs, big cats and some of the birds.
 
Living on site i get to wake up each morning to the Kin Penguin dawn chorus :):)

Crested Seriemas are incredibly loud as well. :eek:

In terms of other zoos, as already stated love Siamangs/Gibbons
 
The soundscape of a zoo is probably just as important as the exhibits in creating an immersive experience.

Absolute favourite would be the Siamang - nothing on the planet can quite compare to its call, and its also really loud!

Lions, wolves, peafowl, a big flock of flamingos honking together, spotted hyena whoop/giggle, whistling ducks, cranes, storks bill-clapping, african fish eagles, all their calls are distinct and memorable.

Ambient sounds such as cascades, cicadas, crickets also add to the overall experience.
 
The peacocks at Toronto Zoo can be heard just about anywhere in the zoo you are
 
around the elephant exhibit in Melbourne there are speakers that project out birds calls,

Funny enough with the elephants I have never heard one trumpet, just rumble and with an individual named Dokkoon "sqeaks" well kinda hard to describe but the sound is distinct.

And something I really would like to hear, I have never heard a lion roar, the lions are Singapore were very vocal, but they were just low growls.
 
I forgot one...

At the Dallas World Aquarium a while ago, the Giant Otters were making so much noise that you could hear it through the entire building. This was right before the feeding, but I didn't know they were so loud!
 
What immediately springs to my mind are the Montezuma Oropendola's at Walsrode. Their sound is really weird, and their cries really made my visit to Walsrode special.
 
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