5 Animals You Didn’t Know Were Nocturnal

(source: tone)

Sure everyone knows that bats, opossums, tarsiers, some rodents, and some types of monkeys are nocturnal. But have you ever wondered what other animals are creatures of the night? The following list might surprise you.

The Snow Leopard

(sources: ianmichaelthomas, arejay)

Living in the snowy mountains of central Asia, Snow Leopards are graceful cats now facing extinction due to habitat loss, lack of prey, and over-hunting. Easily camouflaged in snowy mountains, Snow Leopards are nocturnal carnivores that use the darkness to hunt sheep, hares, birds, and other animals.

The Red Fox

(sources: ericbegin, jimsalge, mikebaird)

Red Foxes live in various different types of habitats ranging from forests to deserts, and are smarter than they are usually given credit for. At risk from being hunted by man and wolves, these foxes usually hunt by themselves, at night, and eat small mammals, insects, reptiles, and various types of berries.

The Skunk

(sources: rescuechick, fuzzworks, kathleen)

Known for being one of the smelliest mammals, Skunks are mostly found in the Americas. These nocturnal animals produce a very smelly spray that they use to protect themselves from predators. As omnivores, skunks enjoy a varied diet including rodents, insects, reptiles, and all sorts of fruits and plants.

The Hamster

(sources: chmurka)

Hamsters are more specifically crepuscular and will burrow underground during the daylight hours to hide from predators. Hamsters mostly rely on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and berries but will sometimes eat small insects and worms in the wild. They are one of the few animals that have pouches that run on both sides of their heads in which they can stuff food for later consumption.

The Margay

(sources: sparky, walanbaker)

The Margay is a beautiful and graceful spotted cat named for Prince Maximilian of Wield-Neuwied, and is found predominantly in central and south America. The cat’s diet consists mostly of small mammals, birds, lizards, and tree frogs, though it sometimes eats grass and other plants. The Margay is at risk of extinction.


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