Nocturnal Animals Facts & Worksheets

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Animals that are awake at night are known as nocturnal. They spend the night hunting, eating, or mating and the day sleeping. Animals that hunt, mate, or are otherwise active at night have developed adaptations to make a living at night easier. 

See the fact file below for more information on Nocturnal Animals, or you can download our 29-page Nocturnal Animals worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

INTRODUCTION TO NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

• While most animals are active during the day, quite a number exhibit nocturnality. Animals classified as diurnal are those awake during the day and asleep at night. In comparison, animals who prefer to sleep during the day and be active at night are said to be nocturnal. 
• Despite the fact that their activity runs counter to the diurnal rhythm of human life, nocturnal animals enrich the animal realm.
• While many creatures classified as nocturnal are active both during the day and at night, some rely only on their enhanced instincts around dusk. Animals that are crepuscular are most active at dawn, dusk, and occasionally during full moons.

UNIQUE FEATURES

• Animals active at night have highly developed senses of hearing, sight, and smell uniquely designed to compensate for the lack of light. While particular nocturnal creatures can quickly adjust their vision to night and daylight, nocturnal animals like bats and bush babies can only be active at night.
• The eyeballs of some nocturnal creatures, including owls, are also formed differently from those of other animals. Due to their larger, more tubular eyes, owls have stronger peripheral vision.
• The lens directs the light onto the retina after it has passed through the pupil. Rods and cones, two separate types of light receptor cells, are found in the retina. Compared to daylight animals, nocturnal species have more rods. When it is almost entirely black outside, the rods allow the animal to see.
• A particular area in the eyes of many animals is called a tapetum lucidum.  It lies underneath the retina and is composed of thick reflecting cells. It returns light to the retina for the second time. The rods now have a second opportunity to absorb the light. 
• Night vision is made possible by the tapetum lucidum. The animals’ eyes appear to shine when light reflects off the tapetum lucidum at certain moments.
• Animals with specialized hearing for nighttime hunting, such as owls and large cats, have offset and highly movable ears.
• Some creatures, like snakes, use taste to find their way and find prey.
• Many nocturnal creatures have keen senses of smell and frequently mark their territory with scents to communicate. The Jacobson’s organ placed at the base of their nasal cavity gives them their sense of smell. An animal’s grimace increases the organ’s sensitivity as it pulls its lips back.
• Many animals’ capacity to discover food at night depends heavily on specialized hairs containing sensory receptors.
• The receptors are found on the whiskers of mammals. The receptors are located on the animal’s complete body of hair in arthropods. Spiders use their webs as sensory devices to warn them when they catch prey.
• Bats are one example of an animal with an extra sensory adaptation that uses echolocation to find food. Bats make a loud noise that reverberates off of everything, including prey. The bat learns the distance to the objects and prey by the echoes.

HABITAT

• Parks, farms, villages, and woodlands are all good places to search for nocturnal wild creatures.
• Some nocturnal animals, like the hedgehog, are protected because they are a rare and endangered species due to the fact that factors like construction development and pollution are ruining their natural habitats.
• Nocturnal animals rest in dens or burrows during the day.
• Animals can thrive in their native habitats since being nocturnal is a benefit. Many desert creatures are nocturnal because they need to survive the intense heat of the day in the deserts.
• The majority of animals, birds, and insects continue to be nocturnal, even in wooded environments.
• In zoos, nocturnal animals are usually kept in special night cages to reverse their natural sleep-wake cycle and keep them active during the hours when tourists expect to see them.
• Hedgehogs and sugar gliders are just two examples of nocturnal creatures commonly maintained as exotic pets.

EATING AND HUNTING HABITS

• It is simpler for nocturnal animals to detect and follow odors and locate food at night since the air is calm and scents hang around. Because of their keen hearing, they can track down their prey as it runs over twigs and fallen leaves.
• Nocturnal animals have distinctive characteristics that make catching their prey simple. For instance, the owl’s wings have a unique feather coating that reduces sound as it swoops down on prey.
• While an aardvark can hear and smell insects as it travels, a cat can sneak up on a meal because of its thick fur and sensitive footpads.
• Some nocturnal animals also utilize the brightness of the moon to determine whether they will be attacked or not.
• When zooplankton rises to the surface at night and uses moonlight as a predator, many nocturnal fish species devour themselves on it.
• In addition to having the opportunity to hunt and stay awake during the cooler nighttime hours, nocturnal animals also face less competition when they hunt in the shadows. These creatures are shielded from predators throughout the night and twilight hours.
• They have good nighttime camouflage, and the ability to navigate, hunt, and escape from predators.
• While certain reptiles hunt by sensing body heat, nocturnal bats hunt by listening for prey.
• Raccoons are well known for foraging at night. They spend the day sleeping or hiding in shelters, then come out at dusk to look for food.
• Aye-ayes have a distinctive method for locating food. They tap on wood and tree branches with their long middle fingers, then listen for insect larvae moving inside. They dig out and consume the buried insect larvae.
• Aye-ayes eat everything. They consume both plant matter and meat (from insects). They also utilize their long fingers to remove food from coconuts and other fruits.
• Adult badgers can consume up to 200 earthworms in one night when they go out to hunt.
• The crab-eating fox comes out at dawn to search for various prey, such as frogs and lizards.

SOME EXAMPLES OF NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

• Owls. Throughout the world, owls are nocturnal birds that are common. Over 200 different species of owl exist, and they are available in brown, white, and black, among other hues. In general, owls weigh two to four pounds.
• Tawny owls are about the size of a pigeon and are frequently seen in forests, parks, and gardens. They have a ring of dark feathers around their faces, huge, dark eyes, and are about the same weight as a pigeon.
• Additionally, nocturnal barn owls are primarily found on agricultural terrain. Their wings and light-brown, almost golden-colored backs have lovely heart-shaped faces. Underneath, they are totally white.
• Moths. Moths are nocturnal insects that are widespread around the globe. Moths come in a wide range of colors and sizes, and there are more than 160,000 different species.
• Moths play a crucial role as pollinators for many flowering plant species, including many that bees do not visit, alongside butterflies, bees, and other more well-known pollinating insects. Similar to their daytime relatives, nocturnal moths flit from blossom to flower at night to dine on nectar.
• Foxes. Foxes are nocturnal creatures that live all over the globe. Foxes exist in over 30 different species in a range of hues, including red, silver, white, and black. Typically, foxes weigh between eight and fifteen pounds. Baby foxes are known as kits.
• Hedgehogs. Native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, hedgehogs are nocturnal creatures. They are little creatures with spines on the backs of their bodies. Usually, hedgehogs weigh between one and three pounds.
• Hedgehogs have weak eyesight but good hearing and a keen sense of smell, which they employ to their advantage during their nocturnal explorations.
• Badgers. Badgers are nocturnal mammals indigenous to North America, Europe, and Asia. They are tiny creatures with long bodies and short legs. The average weight of a badger is 15 to 30 pounds.
• A group of badgers is referred to as a “clan,” while male badgers are referred to as “boars.”
• Bats. Bats comprise 20% of all mammal species in the world, with over 1,300 different species. The only flying animal is the bat, which has a 30-year lifespan. The Greater Horseshoe bat, the Galapagos Red bat, and the Vampire bat are some examples of bats.
• With a wingspan of up to 6 feet, the gold-crowned fruit bat is the biggest in the world (1.8 m). The bumblebee bat, which weighs only 2 g, or roughly two teaspoons of sugar, is the smallest.

FUN FACTS

• Sixty-five percent of the world’s mammals are nocturnal creatures.
• The aye-aye, which stands around three feet tall, is the largest nocturnal primate.
• Pygmy mice weigh under one ounce and are the smallest nocturnal mammal.
• The three-toed sloth has a peak pace of six inches per minute and is the slowest nocturnal animal.
• The Brazilian free-tailed bat, which can fly through the night skies at nearly 160 kilometers per hour, is the fastest nocturnal animal.
• For up to six months, dormice may hibernate and spend very little of the year awake during the day.
• For protection against predators, diurnal animals like sea turtles and seabirds visit their nesting grounds at night. This gives them the ability to defend both themselves and their young while they are giving birth.

Nocturnal Animals Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Nocturnals Animals across 29 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Nocturnal Animals. Animals that are awake at night are known as nocturnal. They spend the night hunting, eating, or mating and the day sleeping. Animals that hunt, mate, or are otherwise active at night have developed adaptations to make a living at night easier. 

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Nocturnal Animals Facts 
2. K-W-L Chart
3. Divided by Three
4. Eye-natomy
5. Fact or Bluff?
6. I am Unique
7. Fill Me In!
8. Crossword
9. Copy Me
10. Insta-worthy
11. Zookeeping

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common nocturnal animals?

Some common nocturnal animals include bats, owls, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, skunks, and possums.

Why are many animals nocturnal?

Many animals are nocturnal because it provides them with advantages such as avoiding predators, staying cool during hot days, and finding food when it’s less competitive.

How do nocturnal animals see in the dark?

Nocturnal animals have evolved adaptations to see in the dark, such as having larger eyes, more rods in their eyes, and a reflective layer behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum. This allows them to collect more light and see better in low light conditions.

What are some ways that humans impact nocturnal animals?

Humans can impact nocturnal animals in a variety of ways, such as disrupting their habitats, introducing predators, and increasing light pollution. This can disrupt their natural behaviors, making it harder for them to find food or mates, and can even lead to population declines.

Why are bats important nocturnal animals?

Bats are important nocturnal animals because they play a critical role in ecosystems as pollinators and insect control agents. They also contribute to biodiversity and have important cultural and economic value, such as being used for medicinal purposes or for their guano (bat poop) which is a valuable fertilizer.

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Link will appear as Nocturnal Animals Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 23, 2023