Researchers in New Zealand have made a groundbreaking discovery: sharks can make noise. For the first time in history, scientists recorded rig sharks producing clicking sounds, raising new questions about shark communication and defense mechanisms.
A Startling Discovery In A New Zealand Lab
A group of marine researchers, led by Carolin Nieder, a Ph.D. student at the University of Auckland, never set out to find vocal sharks. Instead, they were studying the hearing capabilities of various shark species. But during experiments with rig sharks—commonly found near New Zealand’s coastal estuaries—they heard something unexpected: sharp, fast-paced clicking sounds.
The discovery baffled the team. Sharks were not thought to have any sound-producing organs. Yet, these rig sharks were clearly making noise. Nieder recalled her initial reaction, saying, “At first we had no idea what it was because sharks were not supposed to make any sounds.”
Further investigation suggested that the sounds were not accidental but intentional. The team hypothesized that rig sharks use their unique teeth and jaw structures to generate the noises. The implications of this finding could change how scientists understand shark behavior and communication.
How The Study Was Conducted
Between May 2021 and April 2022, Nieder and her colleagues placed ten juvenile rig sharks into controlled environments equipped with sound recorders. Each shark was gently held for 20 seconds at a time, allowing the researchers to capture high-quality recordings of the noises they produced.
The results were astonishing:
- Each click lasted about 48 milliseconds—faster than the blink of an eye.
- The frequency ranged from 2.4 to 18.5 kilohertz.
- The volume reached up to 156 decibels—comparable to a balloon pop or a shotgun blast.
- Roughly 70% of the clicking occurred when the sharks were moving in a swaying motion.
All ten sharks in the experiment made these sounds, though they became less frequent with repeated handling. This suggested that the noises might be a distress response, gradually decreasing as the sharks became accustomed to human interaction.
What Do These Sounds Mean?
The purpose of the clicking sounds remains uncertain. The initial assumption was that the noises served as a warning signal for other rig sharks, particularly juveniles, alerting them to potential danger. However, further analysis revealed a complication: the sound frequencies fell outside the detectable range for sharks. In other words, if sharks can’t hear the clicks, then who are they for?
One possibility is that the noises are meant to startle or intimidate predators. This would align with defensive mechanisms seen in other marine animals. If rig sharks can create loud, sharp sounds in moments of stress, it might be an evolved survival tactic rather than a method of intra-species communication.
Implications For Marine Science
This discovery raises more questions than it answers. Are rig sharks the only species capable of making noise, or could other sharks have similar abilities that have gone unnoticed? If these sounds are meant to deter predators, which animals are they targeting? And how does this newly discovered behavior fit into the broader ecosystem?
To address these questions, further studies are already in progress. Researchers are testing additional shark species, hoping to determine whether this phenomenon is unique to rig sharks or part of a larger, undiscovered aspect of shark behavior.
Regardless of the outcome, this breakthrough has changed the way scientists think about sharks. Once considered silent hunters, these ocean predators may have an entirely new dimension of communication and defense—one that we are only just beginning to understand.
