Research overview: the physics of the lion and tiger roar

The roar of a lion or tiger is among the loudest sounds a land mammal makes, and biomechanical research has sought to explain how such low, powerful sound is generated. This overview surveys findings that the vocal folds of roaring cats are large, flat, and gel-like with a thick layer of fat and connective tissue, allowing them to vibrate at low frequencies under relatively low airflow and lung pressure. These mechanical properties let big cats produce intense roars efficiently. The topic connects vocal-fold tissue structure to the acoustic signals used in territory advertisement and mate attraction across long distances.