With the majority of the human population usually sleeping through the night, not many people get the opportunity to see the thriving ‘nightlife’ in the wild.
For people who are curious about the creatures who populate nature’s nightscape, here’s a look at the many not-so-creepy crawlers that come out once it gets dark.
There are numerous fox species that prefer to keep nocturnal lives to accommodate their living arrangements. One of them is the adorable Fennec fox which is best known for their large, wing-like ears.
Another nocturnal kind of fox is the gray fox which typically takes residence in the woody areas of North America. During the day, they tend to burrow themselves in the hollows of trees numerous feet above the ground.
When living in rural areas, red foxes can be seen out and about numerous times in the daytime. However, when living in more urban areas, they adjust their schedule to be active at night to avoid people.
Red foxes are the literal ‘night stalkers’ as they are nighttime hunters noted to stalk their prey like cats. What’s more, the four-legged animals are quite adept at hearing low-frequency sounds.
#5 African and Asian Civets
If you think that this whiskered-animal looks awfully familiar, you’d be correct to think that they’re somehow related to cats. Another interesting fact about these nocturnal cuties is that they’re also used in some Asian countries to help fertilize a popular type of coffee.
Known for their mischievous antics, it may not come as a surprise that these adorable bandits prefer the cover of darkness to go about their day to day (or is that night to night?) activities.
If you live near wooded areas, you may want to keep a watchful eye out at night for possible trash can and recycling bin thieving raccoon that may come visiting while you sleep.
While they may look similar to troublemaker raccoons, badgers are more mellow in terms of their nighttime activities. They typically just feast the night away on earthworms and other prey.
In fact, one adult badger can actually consume around 200 worms a night. However, if they can’t find their favorite treat, they’d also settle for fallen fruits and snails.
Bats are probably the most popular among all the night dwellers. They’ve even become synonymous with the night itself and the general feeling of spookiness.
Contrary to popular belief, bats don’t spend their nights communing with monsters or looking for people to terrify. They actually just spend their time catching insects or looking for other food sources.
However, they do live up to their cool reputation. To navigate in the dark, bats use high-pitched squeaks and echoes to find their way around.
While most bats eat creepy crawlers like beetles; megabats, also known as fruit bats, eat sweet things.
Bats often take shelter inside caves during the day. They sleep hanging on caves’ stony ceilings to keep out of reach from threats.
Bats are the ultimate sleepyheads spending 20 hours in slumber a day. No wonder they make most of the short time they roam at night.
Another cool thing about bats is that they actually help in pest control. A single bat is capable of consuming up to 1,000 mosquitoes and insects in just an hour.
Meanwhile, bats who prefer to eat fruit and nectar from flowers are rather important when it comes to pollination. While they may not be pretty by everyone’s standards, you can still say that bats are the butterflies of the night.
There’s a good reason why you never really hear the ribbits of frogs during the daytime. Most species of frogs actually prefer to go undetected during the day and stay active at night.
Also known as Agalychnis callidryas, these frogs are known for their neon green color which is a means to deter possible predators.
The green tree frog is a popular pet and is typically found in the backyard of American homes. They’ve even become the state amphibian of Louisiana and Georgia.
Contrary to popular belief, frogs and toads are not the same thing. They belong in the same group but come from different families. However, a common trait they have is their nocturnal activities.
To differentiate the two nighttime amphibians, just remember that frogs typically have smooth and slimy skin while toads have bumpy and dry skin.
While they may look harmless and maybe even cute, some toads can be dangerous, especially when licked by pets, who may ingest poison secreted by toads.
Meanwhile, frogs also secrete poison from their skin. It’s worth noting that some species only produce weak poison while others are deadly.
If you’re up for it, though, toads actually make for good pets and can live rather long in captivity.
And if you enjoy night photography, toads and frogs are some of the most accessible and easily-spotted nocturnal animals that you can find.
Here’s further proof that frogs are just about everywhere.
While deer are actually crepuscular animals, meaning they stay active at dusk and dawn, some deer will move their activities further into the night in attempts to veer away from humans.
The reindeer, which is one of the most popular members of the deer family, are among the last animals that humanity domesticated.
Living up to their name, hedgehogs are typically found at night in, you guessed it, hedges where they look for food.
Unlike their fellow night creatures, hedgehogs aren’t gifted with the best eyesight for nocturnal living. Thus, they mainly use their senses of smell and hearing to look for food.
That being said, this cute hedgehog is probably thankful for the camera flash that helped him find a leaf he likes.
When inactive, hedgehogs typically hide and curl themselves up into a ball, making sure their protective spikes are out.
While they prefer eating insects, hedgehogs aren’t really picky about their choice of food. The animal will eat all things from eggs to slugs.
The leopard is probably one of the nocturnal animals you wouldn’t want to encounter in the dead of night.
Perhaps due to their feline genes, leopards have a knack for climbing and resting in high places. They usually do this by day when they’re looking to rest.
Their tree also doubles as a safe place for them to drag and eat their prey when night comes. A good example is this female leopard from the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in South Africa.
While some people may not like having the nightcrawler around, opossums can actually serve as tools for pest control in the garden as they enjoy things like snails, beetles, and slugs.
Of course, no list of nocturnal creatures will be complete without a mention of the majestic bird that is the owl.
Like bats, owls have become synonymous with the night and all the things associated with it. It’s worth noting, though, that not all owls are strictly night creatures as some species are actually crepuscular.
#41 Two Nocturnal Creatures Meet
As expected, night creatures, since they have similar schedules, often run into each other. Unfortunately, not everyone ends up happy after these encounters.
Owls’ diets differ depending on their size. For example, screech owls thrive on insects while eagle owls eat prey as large as hares.
#43 Opportunistic Creatures
In the end, though, owls are still opportunistic hunters and would typically go for prey they find within their vicinity.
If you’re looking for cute nocturnal animals, you need not go far. While their sleeping schedule may be all over the place, house cats exhibit some nocturnal activities due to their ancestry.
Don’t worry if you start noticing your pet cat get extra active or energetic at night or at the crack of dawn.
If you don’t own a cat, you can observe that outdoor cats seem to increase in number at night when they begin roaming the streets.
Your cat’s nocturnal behaviors are typically harmless. Well, that is, until they get to climbing trees and can’t get down.
Speaking of cats, their nemesis and prey also happens to be a fellow creature of the night.
Hermit crabs which dwell on land are known for being nocturnal. This night schedule is said to be a means for them to avoid the hottest hours of the day.
While you’re busy looking out for nighttime animals, they might just be hiding and observing you themselves. With frogs watching you, there’s really not much to be worried about, though.
Although, you might be a little worried when it’s a wild bobcat that’s doing the stalking, they may look as adorable as house cats, but they’re far more aggressive.
Of course, the night is also filled with plenty of nocturnal insects. One of the most popular is the aptly named luna moth.
Luna moths aren’t at all rare. However, they’re not spotted as often because of their rather short lifespan.
The moth, although larger than most butterflies, is still quite small, growing to just about four and a half inches.
Just like on land, the sea is also thriving with life even at night. The lionfish is one of the creatures that comprise this aquatic nightlife.
Their nocturnal nature can still be observed even while they’re living in captivity in a home aquarium. They usually retreat to hide in coral crevices during the daytime.
The wolf may be a famous nocturnal animal, but wolf sightings can be rare in many areas. This may be for the best, as the animal is opportunistic one, and a carnivore.
Like their feline cousins, the lions of the African Savannah are mostly active during dark times and usually sleeps 20 hours throughout the day.
Like wolves, humans won’t want to encounter this animal, especially at night. There are actually reports of these large cats preying on humans.
The jackal is a cousin of domestic dogs and wolves. While they’re mainly crepuscular, they can also be active at night.
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Source: Wired
With the majority of the human population usually sleeping through the night, not many people get the opportunity to see the thriving ‘nightlife’ in the wild.
For people who are curious about the creatures who populate nature’s nightscape, here’s a look at the many not-so-creepy crawlers that come out once it gets dark.
