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Fish That Make Sound (Encore)

The National Aquarium

When you think of an animal that purrs, grunts, croaks or hums, I’ll bet it’s not a fish. But, I’ll let you in on a secret: More than 150 species of fish on the East Coast of the U.S. are what scientists call “somniferous.” They make noise. Lots of it.

Forget those dreamy underwater documentaries where all is peace and quiet. The ocean is like New York City at rush hour. There are thousands of species, and many have something to say. The tiny cusk eel sounds like a jackhammer. Damselfish purr. Long-horned sculpins hum like an iPhone set on “buzz."

As chief executive officer, John Racanelli leads a team of 600 full and part-time employees and 1,000 volunteers in pursuing the National Aquarium’s mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. More than 1.5 million people annually visit the Aquarium’s venue in Baltimore, Maryland, while millions more are touched by the Aquarium’s education programs, outreach activities, social media campaigns and conservation initiatives.