Hippos are one of the most interesting and unique animals in this world as their traits can make anyone feel amazed. They have the ability to communicate with each other underwater with their body language and different vocals which make people curious about what sound does a hippo make?
Their vocals are very unusual, loud, and look like a yawn but there are multiple reasons behind the same which vary as per the situation and desires of the hippos. To know more about them, read the complete article.
What Sound Does a Hippo Make?
These strong and huge animals have the ability to make different sounds. The most common terms to explain their various vocals are roar, wheezing, honk, and grunt. As hippos are semi-aquatic animals so almost 80% of their communication takes place underwater.
When they have to make sounds under the water and above the water then they use their jawbones and nostrils, respectively. Hippos usually make a roaring sound when they want to show dominance and power over their partner or another animal which reaches kilometers away and can be easily compared with the loudness of a concert.
There are also those hippos who make such a low-frequency sound that cannot be even heard by humans. Not only this but a lot of times you will notice that a hippo makes a bubble blast as well as a fountain while making different sounds. Hippos also make sounds like grunts and laughs when they are in anger and trying to harm others whether they are humans near them or a group of other hippos.
How does a hippo make a sound?
Scientifically it is possible for sound waves to switch between different mediums at a time. But this factor does not bother the hippos even a bit to create noise under the water and above the water, simultaneously.
The mechanism is that half of their mouth is above and half is below the water which allows their jawbones and nostrils to pass sound waves through water vibration and air vibrations, respectively. Hippos sound usually measures between 10 Hz to 20 Hz which is bold, strong, and loud to be heard from kilometers away.
What are the reasons behind hippo’s sound?
Hippos have the ability to make different sounds in different situations to convey their message to the receivers whether they are rebellion hippo’s group or the female hippos. Whenever their mouth is opened widely like they are yawning in the water, this means they are giving symbols to their group about any coming threat or danger.
They usually honk loudly to make the group attentive and ready for a bad situation. Not only this but some male hippos also make a little whizzy honk to attract female hippos and announce the news later that they have done mating successfully.
They also play with their sound’s pace and frequency to make variations of honks during mating time. Hippos’ communication has a very important role in their life which is to maintain a social group as this animal talks calmly with the known hippos and aggressively with the unknown. Scientists are still researching the topic of hippos’ sounds to learn more about their sex, symbols, age, and so on by their vocals only.
What are the types of sounds hippos made underwater?
Generally, they make three types of noise when they are submerged under the water which have different purposes and messages. To know about them, read the below-mentioned points:
- Tonal whines to show their dominant side.
- Croak during social interactions.
- Clicks to show aggression.
Conclusion
Above we discussed the topic of what sound does a hippo make which may have given you a brief answer. This aggressive and huge animal has the ability to produce different vocals at different times to communicate their message.
Most of the time, a hippo makes the sound of roaring, grunting, wheezing, and clicking which has various meanings as per the situation. Just like every mammal, hippos also have two vocal cords which help them in making the desired sound.
If you still want to know anything else about the hippos or any other animal, then mention the same in the comment box below. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
1. How loud do hippos sound?
Their vocals are very strong and deep which goes up to 115 decibels.
2. Do hippos make noise under and above the water surface simultaneously?
Yes, they can do so as half of their mouth is submerged under the water and their nostrils are above the water which allows them to create sound vibration in both the mediums.
3. Do hippos have the ability to hear underwater?
Actually, in hippos, their jaws are directly connected with the middle ears which helps them in hearing the sound vibrations even under the water.
