nocturnal animals

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 6 August 2021
Update Date: 6 November 2024
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Nocturnal Animals Official Trailer 1 (2016) - Jake Gyllenhaal Movie
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Content

There are millions of different species and types of animals in the world, which together constitute the variety of fauna that makes planet Earth a unique place in this immense universe. Some are so small that the human eye cannot see, and others are very large and heavy, like an elephant or a whale. Each species has its own characteristics and habits, which are fascinating for those interested in the topic.

One of the many classifications that can be made about animals is to divide them into daytime and nighttime animals. Not all species need sunlight to fulfill their life cycle, that's why PeritoAnimal made this article about nocturnal animals, with information and examples.


9 nocturnal animals

In this article by PeritoAnimal you will know the following nocturnal animals:

  1. Aye-Aye;
  2. Bat;
  3. Owl Strigidae;
  4. Ring-tailed lemur;
  5. Constrictor Boa;
  6. Tytonidae Owl;
  7. Red fox;
  8. Firefly;
  9. Cloudy panther.

Animals with nocturnal habits: why do they have that name?

All species that carry out their activities at night, whether they start at dusk or wait until darkness has come to come out of their shelters. these types of animals usually sleep during the day, hidden in places that protect them from possible predators while resting.

This type of behavior, which can be strange to humans as they are used to being active during the day, as well as millions of other species, responds so much to need to adapt to the environment as to the physical characteristics of these species.


For example, in the desert, it is common for animals to be more active at night because temperatures are so high and water is so scarce that at night they are able to stay fresher and more hydrated.

Animals with nocturnal habits: characteristics

Each species has its peculiarities, but there are some characteristics that nocturnal animals need to display to survive in the dark.

THE vision is one of the senses that needs to be developed differently to be useful in low light environments. The pupil of all living things works to let light rays through, so when light is scarce, it takes more "power" to absorb any glow that glows in the middle of the night.

In the eye of nocturnal animals there is the presence of guanine, a substance organized in the form of rods that act as a light reflector, making the animal's eyes shine and taking advantage of even more rays of light that can be found.


Furthermore, the ears Many of these nocturnal animals are designed to pick up even the tiniest sounds of prey trying to move stealthily to escape, because the truth is that many of these nocturnal animals are carnivores, or at least insectivores.

If the ear fails, the smell does not fail. In many animals, the sense of smell is the most developed, capable of perceiving changes in the direction of the wind and the novelties that this brings, in addition to detecting prey, food and water from great distances, being possible to perceive the smell of potential predators.

In addition to all this, each species has its own "mechanisms" that allow them to fulfill their life cycle during low light hours, while hiding from predators and making the most of what each particular habitat offers them.

Next, we'll tell you a little about some examples of nocturnal animals.

Animals with nocturnal habits: aye-aye

O Daubentonia madagascariensis is a strange creature that seems to have been taken from a horror tale. Unique in its genus, this mammal is a kind of ape own of Madagascar, whose large eyes are typical of creatures that prefer darkness.

In Madagascar, it is considered an ominous animal that can portend death, even though it is just a small mammal that reaches a maximum of 50 centimeters in length and that feeds on worms, larvae and fruits.

The aye-yeah has large ears and a very long middle finger, which it uses to explore the hollow trunks of the trees it lives in, and in which the worms that make up most of its diet are hidden. is currently in endangered due to the destruction of its habitat, the rainforest.

Animals with nocturnal habits: bat

Perhaps the bat is the animal that is easily related to nocturnal habits. This is no coincidence, as none of the bat species that exist can withstand the light of day, due to the sensitivity of their eyes.

They often sleep during the day in caves, crevices in mountains, holes or any space that allows them to stay away from the light. Amazingly, they are actually mammals, the only ones who have their front limbs forming wings, who were able to spread them all over the world.

There are different types of bats and the food is varied, but among them we can mention insects, fruits, small mammals, other species of bats and even blood. The mechanism they use to hunt and find their way around in the dark is called echolocation, which consists of recognizing the distances and objects in it through the sound waves that are reflected in a space when the bat emits a screech.

Animals with nocturnal habits: strigidae owl

It is another common night dweller, as although it usually nests in wooded areas or full of trees, it is possible to observe it even in towns and cities, where it sleeps in abandoned places that can protect it from the light.

There are hundreds of species of owl, and all are Birds of prey that feed on mammals such as rats, small birds, reptiles, insects and fish.To hunt, the owl uses its great agility, keen eyes and good ear, which allow it to approach prey without making noise, even in total darkness.

One of the main peculiarities of these birds is that your eyes don't move, that is, they are always fixed looking straight ahead, something that the owl's body compensates with the agility of turning its head completely.

Animals with nocturnal habits: ring-tailed lemur

And other primate species native to Madagascar, characterized by its black and white tail and its large, bright eyes. There are several species with different physical variations, but they all feed on leaves and fruits.

The lemur prefers the night to be hide from your predators, so his bright eyes allow him to steer through the darkness. Like other hominids, their paws are very similar to human hands, they have a thumb, five fingers and nails, which help them pick up food.

Furthermore, the lemur is associated with legends in which it is considered a ghost, probably motivated by its peculiar appearance and the high-pitched sounds it uses to communicate. is currently endangered.

Animals with nocturnal habits: boa constrictor

If something causes real fear, it's being in the dark with the boa constrictor, a snake native to the jungles of Peru and Ecuador. This reptile with a strong, muscular body can climb trees, where it hides to sleep.

this boa constrictor does not have completely nocturnal habits, because he likes to sunbathe, but hunts his prey only after dark. He is able to sneak up on his victims and, with quick movements, wrap himself around their bodies, pressing with his incredible strength until he suffocates the victims and then eats them.

This reptile feeds mainly on large animals such as other reptiles (crocodiles) and any warm-blooded mammal found in the forest.

Animals with nocturnal habits: tytonidae owl

Like Strigidae owls, Tytonidae owls are nocturnal birds of prey. There are many types of these owls, but the most common are white or light-colored plumage, which usually live in forests but can also be seen in some cities.

Vision and hearing are your most developed senses, in which your ability to find prey in the middle of the night. Feeding is very similar to that of its Strigidae relatives, being based on small mammals such as mice, reptiles, bats and even some insects.

Animals with nocturnal habits: red fox

this kind of fox maybe it's the most spread all over the world. It may have other coat colors to adapt to the environment, but red is the most characteristic shade of this species.

It usually prefers mountainous and grassy places, but the extension of man's terrains forced it to live very close to our species, further accentuating its night habits. During the day the red fox hides in caves or burrows that are part of its territory, and at night it goes out to hunt. It mainly feeds on the smallest animals found in its ecosystem.

Animals with nocturnal habits: fireflies

Its about an insect that stays in its shelter during the day and leaves during the night, when it is possible to appreciate the light emitted by the back of its body, a phenomenon called bioluminescence.

belong to the group of coleoptera, and there are more than two thousand species worldwide. Fireflies are found mainly in America and the Asian continent, where they live in wetlands, mangroves and forests. The light emitted by their bodies shines during mating seasons as a way to attract the opposite sex.

Meet 8 animals that camouflage themselves in the wild in this PeritoAnimal article.

Animals with nocturnal habits: cloudy panther

It is a native feline from the jungles and forests of Asia and some countries in Africa. It receives the name of nebula because of the patches that cover its coat and also help it to camouflage itself among the trees.

this feline çaction at night and never on the ground, as it generally lives in trees, where it hunts apes and birds and rodents, thanks to its great ability to move among the branches without being in danger.