The twilight-nocturnal lifestyle is characteristic of not many representatives of the fauna. The most famous of them are badgers, hedgehogs and, of course, bats. Nature has endowed these animals with everything they need to exist in complete darkness.
Of course, most of all living organisms actively live and hunt only during the day, and rest only at night. However, there is a small group of animals in the world that are exclusively nocturnal. Among them are representatives of the mammalian class.
What makes them nocturnal?
The fact is that it is during the dark hours of the day that the rivalry for prey weakens noticeably. But weak competition is still half the battle. For example, in deserted places the night is cooler than a sultry day, which, in turn, further stimulates all lovers of night outings to engage in their vigorous activity.
In addition, nocturnal activity is the best time for small and defenseless mammals (such as voles and mice).
The most famous nocturnal mammals
Badger
These representatives of the order of predatory animals can be found at dusk, at night and at sunset. Some badgers living in remote places sometimes come out of their hiding places in the daytime.
The biological clock of these mammals is arranged in such a way that as soon as the sun sets, badgers immediately leave their burrows in search of food. In the cold season, these animals, like bears, plunge into winter sleep. In order not to be disturbed, badgers clog all exits from their holes with earth and leaves.
Hedgehog
This is perhaps one of the most famous twilight-nocturnal mammals of the order of insectivores. Anyone who has ever tamed a hedgehog at home is well aware of its nocturnal activity: the characteristic stomp, snorting and rustling.
It is not recommended to domesticate hedgehogs! The fact is that these animals are carriers of ticks that are dangerous to humans (for example, the ixodid tick). Moreover, these mammals practically do not live in captivity.
In nature, these animals spend all daylight hours in their shelters, hidden from prying eyes. Their burrows can be found both in secluded corners of the forest and in personal plots. There hedgehogs sleep all day, curled up in a tight ball.
As soon as dusk falls, hedgehogs wake up and begin their nighttime activity. In search of prey, they patrol their own hunting grounds. The diet of these animals consists of frogs, earthworms, insect larvae and voles. In winter, hedgehogs fall into suspended animation.
The bats
Bats or bats are exclusively nocturnal animals. If badgers and hedgehogs can be found from time to time during the day, then bats are not. They spend all daylight hours in caves, basements, abandoned houses - where the sun's rays never fall.
Bats are the only mammals that can fly.
With the onset of dusk, bats in full combat readiness begin their night hunt. They feed on small and large insects. They are guided in space thanks to sound location.
Bats make high-frequency sounds that help them navigate. If any obstacle arises in the path of the ultrasonic wave, then it is reflected in the opposite direction. The bat receives the high-frequency signal that has returned to it, realizing that it is necessary to change the direction of flight.
