Sharks are the ultimate silent killers. Or at least, that is what we have been told for decades by every nature documentary and Hollywood blockbuster ever made. You see the fin, you hear the ominous cello music, and you imagine a terrifying roar underwater. But the truth is much weirder. Honestly, if you were swimming with a Great White, the last thing you would hear is a growl.
The short answer is no. Can sharks make noise? Not in the way we think of vocalization. They don't have vocal cords. They don't have lungs to push air through a larynx. They are biologically incapable of screaming, barking, or even whispering. Yet, that isn't the whole story because the ocean is never actually silent.
The Biological Reason Sharks Stay Quiet
Most fish you know are actually pretty chatty. Think about croakers or toadfish; they use a swim bladder to create drumming sounds or whistles to find mates. Sharks are different. They belong to a class called Chondrichthyes, which means they have skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone. More importantly, they lack a swim bladder entirely.
Without that gas-filled organ, they can't produce the "boop" and "drum" sounds other fish use to communicate. It's a trade-off. By losing the swim bladder, sharks gained the ability to change depth rapidly without their insides exploding, but they lost their voice in the process. They rely on "ram ventilation" or buccal pumping to breathe, move, and exist in a world of perpetual hush. It’s a specialized existence. Evolution basically decided that for a top-tier apex predator, stealth was worth more than a catchy mating call.
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But Wait, Do They Make Any Sound at All?
While they can't "talk," sharks aren't exactly ghosts. There are physical sounds associated with a thousand-pound predator moving through the water. Imagine a massive Great White breaching the surface to snag a seal. The "clap" of that body hitting the water is deafening if you're nearby. Researchers like Dr. Neil Hammerschlag have spent years documenting these hunting behaviors. The noise isn't vocal, but it's mechanical.
Then there's the "crunch." If you have ever seen footage of a Tiger Shark crushing a sea turtle shell, you know that sound is visceral. It’s a bone-snapping, structural noise.
There is also the fascinating case of the Draughtsboard shark. New Zealand locals sometimes call it the "barking shark." But wait—didn't I just say they can't bark? They can't. When these sharks are caught and hauled out of the water, they suck in air to inflate their bodies as a defense mechanism. When they release that air, it makes a sound that mimics a cough or a raspy bark. It’s not a vocalization; it’s basically a shark burp. It’s a byproduct of a physical defense, not a conscious attempt to use language.
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What Scientists Are Actually Looking For
In recent years, some marine biologists have started questioning the "silent" label. While we know they don't have vocal cords, some wonder if sharks can perceive or produce low-frequency vibrations we haven't fully categorized yet.
We know for a fact that sharks have incredible hearing. They are highly sensitive to "Yummy Sounds"—low-frequency, irregular pulses that mimic a struggling or injured fish. This is why some shark experts, like the late Peter Viaud-Grand-Marais, noted that sharks are often the first on the scene of a shipwreck or a fishing haul. They are listening to the mechanical clatter of the world around them.
The "Silent" Predator Myth vs. Reality
If you’re wondering why "can sharks make noise" is such a popular search, blame cinema. From Jaws to The Shallows, sound designers use lion roars and tiger growls to make sharks scarier. It works on a lizard-brain level. We are conditioned to fear things that growl. A silent monster is actually way more terrifying in reality because you never hear it coming.
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Sharks communicate through "body language." They drop their pectoral fins. They arch their backs. They gape their mouths. It’s a visual dance of dominance and submission. To a shark, a "scream" is a specific tilt of the head that says, "Get out of my bubble."
- Pectoral fin depression: This is a warning sign. The shark is feeling agitated.
- Tail slapping: Sometimes used to stun prey or signal annoyance.
- Gill flared breathing: Shows high exertion or stress.
How to Interact Safely Given Their Silence
Since you can't hear a shark coming, you have to use your eyes and follow expert protocols. If you are diving or snorkeling and find yourself in the presence of a large shark, remember that silence is their natural state. Do not expect a warning sound.
- Maintain Eye Contact. Sharks are ambush predators. They want to attack when you aren't looking. By staring them down, you signal that you are a "peer" or at least a sentient threat, not a confused seal.
- Avoid Splashy Movements. Remember those "Yummy Sounds" I mentioned? Splashing at the surface mimics a dying animal. It’s a dinner bell.
- Watch the Body Language. Since they won't growl, watch for the "hunch." If the shark starts swimming in a stiff, S-shaped pattern, it’s time to calmly exit the water.
- Dive with a Buddy. Two sets of eyes are better than one when the threat is silent.
Actionable Next Steps for Shark Enthusiasts
If you want to understand shark communication better, stop looking for "recordings" of shark noises—they don't exist. Instead, dive into the world of electroreception and lateral lines.
- Study the Lateral Line: This is a system of sense organs found in aquatic vertebrates, used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. This is how sharks "hear" the movement of other creatures.
- Support Research: Look into organizations like Oceans Research or the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. They use acoustic tagging—not to hear the sharks, but to track them using pings that our human ears can't pick up without specialized equipment.
- Observe Locally: If you live near a coast, visit a local aquarium that hosts "Shark Talks." Ask the handlers about the physical sounds sharks make during feeding—like the snapping of jaws—to get a sense of their true "voice."
Understanding that sharks are silent doesn't make them less interesting; it makes them more impressive. They are masters of a quiet world, tuned into frequencies we can't even imagine. Next time you watch a movie and the shark roars, you can officially be that person who sighs and explains why biology says otherwise.