Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Cheetahs chirp

Over the years Hollywood has inserted sounds to make animals more or less menacing. Here's a few examples of how The movies played fast and loose with sound:

1. Cheetahs chirp. Young cheetah cubs sound a lot like birds. Cheetahs never roar, but hiss and churr--a sort of throaty growl.
2. Dolphins don't bleat. Dolphins use three primary sounds: Whistles, clicks and chirps. The annoying bleating sound is man-made.
3. Zebras never neigh. Zebras bark or bray, like donkeys. They don't whinny or neigh like a horse.
4. Alligators are quiet. Gators have no vocal chords so the only noises they produce are hisses and an infrasonic bellow that rattles the water around them.