Listen: These Elk Sound Terrifying, Like Ringwraiths | National Geographic

Scientists have solved one of nature's greatest mysteries: How do big bull elks produce an eerie shriek that sounds like the Ringwraiths from The Lord of the Rings?
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Read more about how these large North American deer produce their bloodcurdling screams: news.nationalgeographic.com/20...
Click here to read more about elk: animals.nationalgeographic.com...
Quiet Alaska Suburb Moose Battle: on.natgeo.com/1T1TelR
Video courtesy Roland Frey
Audio courtesy Megan Wyman
Associate Producer: Jed Winer
Listen: These Elk Sound Terrifying, Like Ringwraiths | National Geographic
• Listen: These Elk Soun...
National Geographic
/ natgeo

[@tipsycat27]

Hearing that noise at night when you're camping and you've never heard it before or know what it is.... Yeah I shit myself

[@DesertDweller21]

Tipsylou we were just out camping last night and heard these sounds too! Freaky indeed!!

[@shandyms1]

Ya same even in a camper there scarry

[@naylofu697]

Did you come from jackscepticeyes firewatch play through?

[@Unknown-bi2pj]

Naylofu! Yep!

[@nflmixo9357]

Could be Wendigos

[@virulan5714]

Sounds like when I started playing clarinet.

[@sandtrap175]

Squidward, is that you?

[@skeletonwarrior9393]

Oof, same. And it sounds like that again now that I’m trying to get back into it.

[@grimascent8278]

I think more like recorder

[@virulan5714]

@@grimascent8278 That too, but this is almost exactly what it sounds like when you squeak on a low note with clarinet.

[@africankidd3642]

@@sandtrap175 stop it

[@Masilya111]

I actually love elk sounds. They're so unique.

[@Aw3somedud399]

It reminds me of wood being scrapped against another piece feels peaceful

[@5000mahmud]

sound like goatman or skinwalker

[@Eternally_Moon]

Samee

[@rusticpine22]

I look forward to the rut. I get chills listening to the bulls bugle. It's a strange calming yet exciting sound.

[@gaydummy2845]

Kinda reminds me of someone trying to start a car.

[@deebee784]

My family and I rented a cabin this weekend and I thought I heard a child scream last night in the forest....nope, it was a fricken elk !!!!

[@s0phi76]

SAAAAAAAME. I was about to fucking flee. I was like holy shit i'm in a horror movie what do I do. The one here sounds like a woman screaming? But its really echo-ey so it kind of sounded like a recording of a woman screaming? :') I'm shook.

[@Austin-do8se]

Oml 🤣🤣🤣

[@shakierhadid7034]

Im crying 😭🤣🤣

[@emilyboyle1237]

Tadaaaa!

[@RainyDays808]

So this is where everyone is getting those Wendigo sounds from. Huh

[@kittycatrittycatalt9523]

IKR LMAO-

[@monkeydigs6696]

yep.

[@Majiins]

Not only the sounds THE WENDIGO IS THE ELK BUT ON DRUGS

[@MrDankTM]

I love their sounds its so beautiful

[@koala_bear_camila8083]

Same #2

[@oisincasey3710]

Same 3

[@cn1kk1]

Same 4

[@PyroRaptor1]

Same 5th

[@ciphxidk]

i didnt know youd be here

[@Scionofgreyhaven]

aka me trying to sing

[@Wow-nr7rn]

Rip

[@koenielyla]

Outside my house: **an elk** Me: "Oh, it's just an elk" Me: **notices that there are no elks near my area and house** Me: *"Oh fu-"*

[@ignition07]

I just want to take a moment to appreciate the fact that NatGeo uses and makes references to LOTR Ringwraiths to accentuate this beautiful video.

[@ozdigg9254]

nope

[@WJen8]

I once went overnight camping and heard this sound for like 20 minutes and it was probably the scariest 20 minutes of my life.

[@Lerdo2013]

0:16 I heard that sound quite often while wandering around in RDR2.

[@dutchvanderlinde5918]

Yeah I love the voice they make and they are so common

[@Jomster777]

GTA V as well

[@csakib622]

Tarek Zoubi thats... why i’m here

[@csakib622]

Dutch van der Linde Hey Dutch, why did you leave Me there like that?

[@daddychill1964]

Yup that’s why I’m here had to confirm it was an elk

[@lucasg4119]

That sound like most people at my school, that elk is nothing special.

[@verovillarroel1453]

No one: - lights off - The random girl: - Bull elk sounds -

[@Elephant-Puppet]

@@verovillarroel1453That Random Dude Who Cheats On Tests:A Red Deer Stag

[@DerpDeh]

i thought it was a door

[@nottoday4801]

wtf man XD

[@sharilshahed6106]

grease that stupid door

[@MoskusMoskiferus1611]

My Door

[@johnchavez8381]

ah yes. my dog made the same exact sound before it stood upright on its hind legs and smiled at me through the window at 3 a.m. Sparky is such a joy to be around🥰

[@rebelscum7870]

Lovely fellow 🥺

[@thatsofetch16]

I dont think that was a dog

[@Lord_Numpty]

I think you may have bought a Hellhound.

[@Mika1010enthusiast]

Better give Sparky a treat. Sparky wants your liver.

[@adorabasilwinterpock6035]

Me when i step on a lego

[@3791394]

😂😂😂😂

[@cartoonmaster2401]

Fr fr

[@flufflewarrior]

When I heard this the first time, in Red Dead Redemption 2, I thought my headphones wanted to kill me •_•

[@bighand1530]

Meat Canyon’s Taylor Swift brought me here lol

[@Elyosmage86]

They are one of my favourite animals.I think, their voice/sound is amazing!

[@LJdaentertainer]

thought I was watching an ad for a good 10secs there

[@miguelordonez3323]

This is actually the only sound that comes to mind when i think of nature

[@jurisprudence6549]

You must not spend much time in nature haha or you spend too much time in the elk woods in September haha

[@kaseyblack7829]

I actually remember a hunting game on my computer that I played and this sound startled that memory. And it was definitely an elk.

[@antpaste]

it's so mystical and beautiful

[@pamvogels6185]

The way how to bull elk looks so strong and fearless, but when that sound comes out eek

[@jasonkane7231]

So, the ringwraiths are in a rut?

[@juliansaiz5714]

Heard one of these middle of the night camping, Native American friend told me it was a skin walker and started telling me stories, later now found it it was just an elk, the idea of a skin walker sounds pretty terrifying

[@aprilm7611]

It could’ve also been a SW… they disguised themselves to sound like animals 😅

[@catyear75]

Twelve rings for the ELK-en kings ...

[@leonievw2466]

This deserves more likes haha

[@justinp.5941]

I find nothing scary about this... it’s so relaxing

[@penguino6147]

I know

[@endertrot9998]

This video really makes me _feel_ like a elk, 3/3, would play Oko again.

[@jltrain-zgamingrailfan202x3]

I wonder if they can just roar like the Red Deer!

[@imreallybadatnamingthings]

There is a roar, but it's kinda just buried under the squealing.

[@yeahwellthatsjustlikeyouro7466]

There are no Elk in my country and after playing RDR2 I HAD to look it up, they make very surreal sounds, Sci fi like. Cool and scary at the same time.

[@IsabelOEM]

Elks are pure evil and come from Mordor. I freakin' knew it.

[@wotsgonon1]

their vocal cords need to be destroyed

[@HetaliaCalifornia]

Isabel Erroa So glad somebody said that before me. 😂

[@wotsgonon1]

HetaliaCalifornia it had to be done😁

[@Ninjaananas]

Isabel Erroa And Thranduil is riding one into battle!

[@lukesheldon3599]

Actually its rivendell they can sound pretty scary there too.

[@KyleMarquardtVlogs]

Currently sitting outside my friends trailer on a chair listening to them run around and call around me. It’s amazing, and they are getting so close. It’s currently 2:17 Am

[@toxiccrocattackgaming6145]

In a modded Skyrim game, I played a witch and mainly turned people into animals thanks to a mod spell. I remember once turning an entire Stormcloak camp into beasts, and that was the first time I ever heard an elk’s bugle. I had no idea they could make such a freaky sound, and I thought I had stumbled onto some kind of new monster or something. The animals stay aggressive towards you forever, and hearing multiple instances of that sound coming from the wooded mountains is still spooky.

[@ClydeC]

(Looks up in the sky) *NAZGUL!*

[@starkiller4557]

0:18 Imagine hearing this for the first time at midnight in the middle of the woods, that’s more horrifying than a wolf howling

[@fosterjackiefoster3259]

Yes, I have always loved their sound.😀💗

[@Iquey]

The lower roar sounds like the "aauuuugh" meme😂

[@MsLax45]

How gorgeous!! ❤ they really are such beautiful animals

[@thelastvalkyrie1998]

I absolutely love the sound of a bull elk bugling

[@ladybirdstarshine4692]

I have witnessed these animals, in a herd of 300..communicate😁 It was the most beautiful language I ever heard...🤗🙏EVER..

[@Nofucksgiven22]

You are lucky to be exposed to their language. Most guys just throw sounds out in the woods. They actually have a language. A guy called elk nut lays it out. Check it out. It will validate what you heard. I would pay lots to live somewhere like that for a season

[@amtrakseptaguy11]

Heard a wild pack of them in western VA, boy was it a bone chilling but beautiful sound

[@Rai_Nuada15]

Lmao imagine you camp in a forest and it's like midnight and you hear the sounds but there's no Elks near you

[@Kristoph109]

Came here because of theHunter Call of the Wild haha, these things sound terrifying especially at night!!

[@dogeofdeath1872]

Kristoph109 same lol

[@GojiraKingOfKings]

Squidward must have gone to the same music school as the Elk.

[@rangeraves89]

music to my ears

[@nexus_r]

This is why nature is beautiful.

[@pockypurse]

It sounds super sci-fi, very cool. :D

[@fosterjackiefoster3259]

I just love that sound!!!

[@penguino6147]

Me too

[@thesenateguard3023]

Don't you just love how they sound like they are screaming and puking

[@gdwolf7]

I love the bugle of elk, one of my favourite animal calls

[@breyerlance7825]

The sound is so beautiful tbh

[@cougaman]

0:25 is me trying to play a brass instrument literally

[@tym3116]

Trevor Phillips: Sounds like someone strangling a clarinet player

[@SevScout]

The sound they make sends a chill down my spine every fucking time.

[@gigiyes8824]

Suidward’s first time playing Clarinet

[@cordellwest8171]

I love hearing them bugle when I'm doing my guide hunts

[@pokemonpat1254]

I love elks when they yell. Such a beautiful sound

[@ForbesyGames]

The voice of mother nature, it's beautiful in my opinion

[@shifu7556]

Didn’t know they sound so awesome

[@baileybrunner618]

I actually love the sound of elk💗

[@Celon.]

I looked for this for so long.

[@Kyuushi94]

I used to have a swing set that sounded like this! Lol

[@pugzmanz460]

when you open the fridge door trying not to wake up your parents

[@StarboyXL9]

This is so perfect for my Yhoundeh story.

[@dadof3tngirls]

“Wait, don’t run.” “You may still want to run.”

[@catanalinacazenave130]

It sounds hauntingly beautiful

[@akihikosakurai4013]

If you heard that at night you'd just think it's haunting

[@gustavoceballos5327]

Ladies and Gentlemen, the voice actor of the Ringwraiths.

[@davids.5083]

What does the elk say?

[@MerpSquirrel]

+David Schargorodsky ARREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHUUUUUH!!!!

[@RowUnbeat]

+David Schargorodsky YO ADRIAN

[@bubbleface6348]

AGHHHHHHHH

[@LRSNor]

Hatti hatti hatti ho

[@ahmedshakwir525]

aweeeeeeeeeehaaa***

[@shyanvigil805]

It's not terrifying?! Its so beautiful

[@fluffyfloppastudios]

Me singing at 3 years old 😂

[@KKSuited]

Just heard one across the road and to make sure that's what it was I looked this up :) Moved to Oregon 4 years ago, and haven't seen one, even though there are signs for them. I still haven't seen one, but I heard one :)

[@LickMyCoochie]

it's so scary yet majestic 😍

[@tobediscontinued1795]

What a cool sound

[@StefanGPD]

Music to my ears when I play the Hunter call of the wild, a nightmare when Im out at night alone in the wild.

[@chriswieman]

I like how you can see the first elk's junk bobbing up and down.

[@Ravensikkness]

Sounds like when they gave me one of those recorders in band back in elementary school.

[@seesee3413]

Beautiful sound.

[@penguino6147]

I agree

[@Ruby-jb6en]

0:34 the elk looks so smug about the fact that he’s making two sounds at once 😂

[@papajohn468]

he nailed the whistle note

[@jellybean3057]

Imagine camping and hearing this at night without knowing that an animal actually produces this sound.

[@chazzwozzio]

Ah good. Thanks natgeo give me more reasons to fear outside.

[@NJ-tm1vn]

Sounds like me whenever new episodes of fav show air

[@amandasittner3897]

Anyone else here from Dougie Corrado’s Stairs in the Woods story??

[@Scabooch]

🙋‍♂️

[@iverulfengrad3187]

I've had city friends get freaked out by elk when camping. Then get mad at me for laughing at them and they also don't believe me that that sound came from a elk. One of many reasons why I now solo camp lom

[@demousb7087]

Had to see if the sounds from Canada Hunt were accurate. They were. Thanks Arin.

[@adolfilyichmarx9589]

When da elk masters the power of overtones.

[@KidsAccnt3]

Nothing's more exciting than sitting in a tree stand or stalking a mature bull that's screaming. Beautiful animals and delicious healthy meat.

[@jesseespinoza8657]

choppers monster point roar...nice

[@Kylievsp]

My family and I were staying in telluride Colorado for 4 days,on the last day we were driving past a golf course and elk were everywhere!The biggest bull was 13 point smallest was a 10 we stopped for little bit to look at them.But we heard a lot of that 😂

[@bluestudio7893]

This is exactly the noises my friends make when my mom is on the phone

[@sashadelic2547]

it sounds beautiful

[@Eternally_Moon]

Tbh I love their sounds

[@bennixoxo]

sounds beautiful to me!

[@hiItsDes]

So beautiful ❤

[@okhuwaheyi995]

Terrifying? It's beautiful ♥️🦌

[@PuppetierMaster]

Nazgul! (Elk aimlessly wonders into the besieged city) *Screams* Scene continues not addressing a random elk screaming

[@Myworthi]

I went to see Elk up at Estes Park, CO a while ago and the first time I heard the male Elk calling the females (when I saw the Elk open his mouth), I burst out laughing because I was expecting a really LOW sound and it was so high and squeaky! I guess it goes a LONG way though, and it IS very unique.

[@nathanlevesque7812]

Barn owl scream/screech is more like ringwraith sounds.

[@kaidenbrown9154]

When you try getting something at night and your door make that sound:

[@chelseypie7529]

just heard these outside outside of our cabin and searched this up, because we were TERRIFIED.

[@shockwave6213]

I think there was a scene in Fellowship, where they actually use an Elk call for one of the Nazgul screeches.