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This is a list of nocturnal animals and groups of animals. Birds are listed separately in the list of nocturnal birds . Raccoons are one of many nocturnal animals. Known nocturnal animals. Aardvark. Aye-aye [1] African elephant (possibly crepuscular; when near humans, otherwise diurnal) [2] American black bear. Badger [3] Bandicoot. Bat [4]
- Overview
- How do animals see in the dark?
- Night Creatures
- Other adaptations
Animals that hunt, mate, or are generally active after dark have special adaptations that make it easier to live the night life.
There’s a reason why people who stay up late are called night owls. That’s because owls are always awake and active when the sun is down. This is called nocturnal behavior, and it’s common among many animals. They become more active at night to hunt, mate, or avoid heat and predators.
Nocturnal animals have evolved physical traits that let them roam in the dark more effectively. The eyes get bigger and the pupils widen. Owl eyes, for example, are so big that they can’t move in the socket, but their wide pupils help them collect more light.
A reflective layer called tapetum sits behind the retina; any light that passes through the eye reflects back onto the tapetum. The retinas contain rod cells, which pack their DNA in a way that turns each cell’s nucleus into a light-collecting lens. This is different from how the rods of non-nocturnal animals or humans work.
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Galapagos giant tortoises rest in a pool of mud in Volcan Alcedo’s crater on Isla Isabela. Many animals are nocturnal to avoid the heat of the day.
Galapagos giant tortoises rest in a pool of mud in Volcan Alcedo’s crater on Isla Isabela. Many animals are nocturnal to avoid the heat of the day.
Sight isn’t the only feature nocturnal animals rely on. Some depend on other senses to adapt to the darkness.
Animals like owls and large cats have specialized hearing to hunt at night; owls’ ears are offset and ears of large cats are highly maneuverable.
Many nocturnal animals, though not nocturnal birds, have a good sense of smell and often communicate with scent marking. That sense of smell comes from the Jacobson’s organ located in the roofs of their mouths. When an animal pulls its lips back and grimaces, it enhances the sensitivity of the organ.
Some animals, like snakes, use taste to navigate and locate prey.
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Owls explained: These master hunters use their extraordinary senses to rule the roost
- 3 min
Nocturnal Animals is a 2016 American neo-noir psychological thriller film written, produced, and directed by Tom Ford in his second feature, based on the 1993 novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright. The film stars Amy Adams , Jake Gyllenhaal , Michael Shannon , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Isla Fisher , Armie Hammer , Laura Linney , Andrea Riseborough ...
- $32.4 million
- Abel Korzeniowski
- $22.5 million
Aug 11, 2021 · 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.
- Aardvark. Orycteropus afer. Mammal. Africa. Carnivore. Aardvarks are nocturnal animals found in Africa. They have long tongues which they use to catch their prey of termites, ants, and insect larvae.
- Aye-aye. Daubentonia madagascariensis. Mammal. Madagascar. Omnivore. The aye-aye is nocturnal and can be found in Madagascar.
- Badger. Taxidea taxus. Mammal. North America. Omnivore. There are several different species of badgers, the most common being the Eurasian Badger.
- Bats. Chiroptera. Mammal. Worldwide. Omnivore. There are over 1400 different species of bats that can be found all around the world except for Antarctica.
Nocturnal animals come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Nocturnal animals are animals that are active during the night. They will hunt, eat or mate during the night, and sleep during the day.
Nocturnal Animals. Nocturnal animals remain active at night and rest during the day. Animals that do so tend to have particular adaptations compared to diurnal (active during the day) and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) animals. These adaptations include enhanced hearing and smell, and vision that lets them see in the dark.
