As an inverse problem, cochlear biomechanics present a singular challenge. While acting as an acoustic detector, healthy ears generates and subsequently emits sound. Detectable using a sensitive microphone placed in the ear canal, these sounds are referred to as otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and provide key insights into the underlying biophysics, even having extensive clinical applications. This talk will focus on modeling OAE generation in lizards, whose relatively simple ear exhibits robust emissions. The approach is two-fold: First, a mathematical framework is presented that is based upon coupled heterogeneous active nonlinear (i.e., limit cycle) oscillators. Second, recent empirical measurements from lizards characterizing dynamics of OAE activity are described, including the “ring of fire”. By comparing both approaches, the model/data suggest several types of emergent inter-oscillator interaction: coherence (i.e., clustered group effect that forms spectral peaks), entrainment (synchronization to the external stimulus), decoherence (loss of a clustered groups), and suppression (pushed out of the limit cycle into a quiescent state).