It’s that time of year again. That time when the trees loose their leaves, the air gets cold and crisp, and pumpkins start to pop up on every porch in town. Yes, it is fall and with fall, comes one of the best holidays of all – Halloween! We love a good scare as much as the next guy, but as Green Monsters, we like to put a unique spin on this spooky season.

While some might be content to sit and watch The Walking Dead (have you heard the cast has gone veg yet?), we’re more into doing the scaring, rather than being scared. So, this Halloween, you can catch us sitting on our porches passing out candy corn, dressed as real Green Monsters playing some really terrifying animal noises to make the local children (and parents) jump!

Real life animals can be just as scary as their fantastical counterparts, but lucky for you and your neighbors, these are just recordings of the sounds these animals make in the wild. But, as you listen to these frightening animal noises, remember that many of the species on this list are endangered thanks to habitat destruction, poaching, and climate change. It might be scary to listen to these noises and imagine a giant lion standing over your shoulder – but a more horrifying thought is living in a world where theses animals and the sounds they make have ceased to exist.

So this year, scare with a cause and share these scary noises while spreading awareness for the very real threats these species currently face.

1. The Lion’s Roar: Although their roar would be enough to scare the bejesus out of us – these magnificent beings are endangered due to hunting, habitat loss, and even being sold into captivity. Remember this roar next time you think about visiting a circus or zoo!

2. A Growling Bear: Across the world different bear species are endangered by many human actions. The polar bear species is hanging in the grips as their native ecosystems are melting due to Climate change. Remember the fight against Climate change starts on your plate – you wouldn’t want an angry polar coming after you, now would ya!

3. The Earth Shattering Roar of the Bengal Tiger: There are currently more tigers in captivity than there are in the wild. Targeted for their fur, tigers are disappearing from the planet at a rapid pace. Their growl is bigger than their bite, so please remember never to purchase fur or rugs made from these creatures! 

4. A Wild Cougar Snarl: Like other big cats, the cougar is targeted by the exotic pet trade. Many people purchase baby cougars and choose to keep them as pets. As you can imagine, an animal that makes this sound does NOT belong in your home, so let’s keep the wild in the wild.

5. The Alligator Snap: Despite their many rows of sharp teeth, the alligator is subject to poaching all the same. Alligator shoes, wallets, and purses might be considered “trendy,” but we could all stand to choose life over things. 

6. The Gorilla Roar: Never knew a gorilla could roar? Well, hold your hats. These majestic species are usually peaceful, gentle creatures in the wild, but sadly they fall victim to the great ape trade. Taken from their native forests and sold as pets and zoo animals, gorilla’s wild numbers are shrinking. No wonder this guy is so mad!

7. Wolf Snarl: We would be terrified if we came across a wolf in the wild, just listen to that growl! Sadly, this is becoming less and less likely because wolves are systematically being removed from the wild to protect cattle interests. Wolves are predators and considered a threat to grazing cattle and livestock, as a result they are culled by the Federal Wildlife Service.

So, remember, although these are some of the most ferocious sounding animals around, they still need YOUR help! Check out this post on how you can change your consumption habits to protect endangered species! After all, we scare because we care!

Image source: Betty Wills/Wikimedia Comons