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Blacktip Sharks Can Hear Underwater Sounds From 250 Feet Away, Study Reveals
M
Moneycontrol•08-10-2026, 12:54
Blacktip Sharks Can Hear Underwater Sounds From 250 Feet Away, Study Reveals
- •New research from Florida Atlantic University reveals that wild blacktip sharks can detect low-frequency sounds from up to 243 feet away in the ocean.
- •Scientists used an underwater speaker and overhead drones to study free-swimming sharks in shallow waters off southeastern Florida without disrupting their behavior.
- •Sharks showed strong directional responses, making sudden turns of 20 to 160 degrees and swimming away upon hearing low-frequency signals between 100 and 800 Hz.
- •Over 70 percent of the recorded responses occurred in the acoustic far field, proving sharks can pinpoint the direction of distant sounds rather than just sensing their presence.
- •This acute hearing ability provides sharks with crucial early information about prey or threats in underwater environments where visibility is often limited.
Key Questions Answered
Research shows that wild blacktip sharks can detect low-frequency sounds from at least 62 metres away, with some responses recorded up to approximately 74 metres, or 243 feet, from the sound source.
Upon detecting the low-frequency signals, the sharks made sudden turns ranging from 20 to 160 degrees before rapidly swimming away from the speaker, demonstrating their ability to determine the exact direction of the sound.
Researchers placed an underwater speaker in the shallow waters off southeastern Florida to play controlled low-frequency sounds while using an overhead drone to track the natural swimming behavior and reactions of free-swimming sharks.
