The After-Hours Animal Kingdom
There’s nothing like a peaceful sleep. We count our sheep, we get our Zs, and we hopefully wake up refreshed come morning time—but during those hours, we also miss some of the coolest nocturnal animals! You may have seen the odd raccoon in your neighborhood dumpster, but it’s time we paid real tribute to these nightcrawlers.
1. Fox
What does the fox say? We don’t know because we rarely see them! These adorable tricksters are mostly nocturnal, though they usually stalk the streets from dusk til dawn. It makes sense when you think about it: they can hear up to 40 miles away and come equipped with night vision, so they’ll need the quiet.
2. Owl
We’ll be honest: owls freak us out a little. With so many species and such beautiful feathers, we’re more in awe than anything else, but their 270-degree head turn is a bit much to stomach. The good news is that we probably won’t see them—not because they’re nocturnal, but because their flight is practically silent!
3. Bat
Bats don’t get enough credit for being the lovable sky puppies that they are. We know the humungous species, like flying foxes, scare most people away, but most bats are friendly creatures who feast on fruit and mosquitoes. They’re also the only flying mammal.
4. Porcupine
Contrary to popular belief, this dangerous-looking fellow can’t actually shoot quills at predators. They can, however, fall off should they come into contact with any. For the most part, though, this adorable critter spends its best herbivore life in hollow trees throughout the night.
5. Raccoon
You’ve probably had a run-in with raccoons before—but don’t let their thievery sway your opinion! They’re actually wonderfully intelligent creatures with night vision who don’t mean you any harm. You probably shouldn’t domesticate them, but darn it all if we aren’t tempted.
