What is the Loudest Animal on Earth? And Other Animal Trivia

Blue whales and sperm whales are among the loudest animals in the world. Sperm whales can produce a series of echolocation clicks of more than 200 decibels (the measurement unit for the intensity of sound). And as blue whales vocalize their rumbling songs of more than 180 decibels, they can produce the loudest sustained sound of any animal. Put into perspective, the piercing sound of a jet engine is about 140 decibels!

In the right ocean conditions, blue whale vocalizations can be heard by other whales up to 1,000 miles away. Unfortunately, ocean noise pollution from ships and other human activity poses a major threat to whales, altering their ability to communicate and find other whales. As these animals’ paths increasingly intersect with high-traffic shipping routes, ship strikes have also become a leading cause of death for large whales on the California coast, and particularly those entering San Francisco Bay.

The Marine Mammal Center’s researchers are conducting scientific studies to monitor whales and find solutions. In collaboration with the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, we deployed Whale Safe, an AI-powered system that monitors blue, fin and humpback whale vocalizations and other data to inform ships when whales are present. Ships that slow down in whale habitats can prevent deadly collisions while also reducing ocean noise, carbon emissions and other harmful environmental impacts.

With nearly 1 million hairs per square inch, sea otters have the densest fur of any animal on Earth.

Why do sea otters need so much fur? Without blubber to protect them in the chilly ocean, they rely on this adaptation to keep warm and survive. In fact, sea otters have two layers of hair that trap air and keep their skin dry. But their fur loses its insulating qualities if exposed to oil, putting them at risk of oil spills. As part of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, the Center acts as a primary response facility during a large spill to make second chances possible.

Other threats sea otters face include infectious diseases, shark bites, maternal separation, boat strikes and entanglement. Thanks to caring people like you, our experts are conducting research and providing life-saving treatments to threatened southern sea otters.

As a keystone species, sea otters are essential to a healthy ecosystem. Helping this threatened species to recover can have a ripple effect restoring critical environments and strengthening our natural defenses against climate change.