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- Take a look at these fantastic creatures of the night. Nocturnal animals are fascinating creatures. They roam our planet after dusk with particular adaptations, such as enhanced sight, smell or other senses that help them get around in the dark of night.
- Owls. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the U.K., the long-eared owl (Asio otus, pictured) is a nocturnal owl and is so secretive, it's rarely seen other than during migration or when leaving, or returning to, a communal roost site in winter.
- Hedgehogs. Not only are hedgehogs nocturnal, they also sleep for a whopping 18 hours a day, according to the San Diego Zoo. Their poor eyesight means they rely on their senses of smell and hearing to help them find food; according to the zoo, they have up to 44 teeth with which to eat meals of fruit, fungi, centipedes, insects, snails, worms, mice, frogs, eggs, birds, snakes and other reptiles, and roots that they find under hedges and other vegetation (hence the name hedgehog, though they also make hog-like snorting noises).
- Bats. Most bats are nocturnal, using echolocation to find their prey (mainly flying insects) in the dark. Pictured here is the rare Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii), which can be found in parts of southern Wales and southern England.
- Nocturnal Animals
- Aardvark
- Aye-Aye
- Badgers
- Bats
- Catfish
- Firefly
- Flying Squirrels
- Galagoes
- Hedgehogs
Nocturnal animals are animals that are active at night. They often have special adaptions for nocturnal living, including large eyes for low-light vision, and heightened senses of hearing and smell. Examples of nocturnal animals include aardvarks, bats, moths, owls, raccoons, Tasmanian devils and wolves. Scroll down to see our top 20 list of noctur...
Type of animal: MammalWhere found: AfricaType of animal: Mammal (Lemur)Where found: MadagascarType of animal: Mammal (members of the family Mustelidae)Where found: Europe, North America, Asia, AfricaType of animal: Mammals (order Chiroptera)Where found: Every continent except AntarcticaType of animal: Fish (order Siluriformes)Where found: Every continent except AntarcticaType of animal: Insect (family Lampyridae)Where found: Temperate & tropical regions worldwideType of animal: Mammal (family Sciuridae)Where found: Asia, Europe, North AmericaType of animal: Mammal (Primate, family Galagidae)Where found: AfricaType of animal: Mammal (subfamily Erinaceinae)Where found: Europe, Asia, Africa- Badger. Badgers come out at night to feast; an adult badger could consume up to 200 earthworms in a single night. That said, badgers are omnivores and will take advantage of any number of available foods, including fallen fruits, bulbs, snails and slugs, vegetables, and even small mammals.
- Bats. Bats are one of the most famous nocturnal animals. They are the only mammals capable of flight, and they head out at night to feast on insects, fruit, and nectar—depending on the species.
- Crab-Eating Fox. After spending all day in a den, the crab-eating fox comes out in the dark of night to forage for a wide range of prey, from frogs and lizards to rabbits and fish.
- Dormouse. The dormouse is famously adorable. Found mostly snoozing and looking cute during the day, it is a nocturnal species that can be found scurrying along the branches of trees for a meal of fruits, flowers, nuts, and insects.
Sep 15, 2023 · They have super-strong night vision and exceptional hearing that allows them to hunt even the tiniest of prey in the dark of the night. But not all nocturnal animals have good night vision, some rely on other heightened smells to get around at night, like smell or hearing or taste.
Jan 1, 2017 · When the sun goes down, many animals (like us humans) go to sleep for the night. But others are just starting their day. They find food, mate, raise their young, defend their territories, and escape predators between dusk and dawn. We call these animals nocturnal.
May 21, 2023 · Nocturnal animals are creatures that are active during the night and sleep during the day. While some animals, such as bats, owls and possums are strictly nocturnal, others have varying levels of nocturnality.
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