Holy men who met their unholy ends
These colorful frogs can be found in the lowland rainforests of Central America and southern parts of Mexico.
They come out at night, after spending the best part of the day camouflaged between tree leaves.
They use their namesake big red eyes to startle predators.
This adorable panda is native to the high mountains of the Eastern Himalayas.
It's about the size of a house cat and spends the day sleeping high up in the trees.
It comes down to hunt at nighttime when there is less risk of attack from predators such as the snow leopard.
The nocturnal Indian flying fox is one of a thousand known species of bat. It is found in the forests of India, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.
With an impressive wingspan of 1.5 meters (almost 5 ft), these beautiful big bats fly long distances at night in search of fruit to feed on.
Their large eyes help them see well in the dark, and the cool nighttime temperatures help to stave off the heat generated during the journey.
The raccoon is one of the more well-known nocturnal animals, since it is not unusual to see them out during the daytime. They are mainly found in the wooded areas of North America, but of course they do make their way to more urban areas.
Known for rummaging through trash cans, raccoons will eat anything they can get their paws on and will travel up to 18 miles (29 km) looking for food.
Their dramatic black mask helps to reduce glare, thus making the nighttime hunt for food easier.
This species of venomous snake can be found in the rainforests of Central and South America. They are called eyelash vipers because of the protruding scales that hood their eyes.
They come in a variety of colors, including yellow, green, and red, and they spend the majority of their time on small tree branches, only going out to hunt at night.
The venom that they use to hunt is fatally poisonous to their prey, as well as humans.
The gray wolf is native to Eurasia and North America and is the world’s largest species of wolf.
A gray wolf can measure up to 1.8 meters (6 ft), and weigh up to 79.4 kg (175 lbs).
Although gray wolves are sometimes seen during the day, they become more active at night as they come out to hunt.
These beautiful owls inhabit every continent on Earth apart from Antarctica. They are strictly nocturnal and will never be seen during the day.
This is a shame, perhaps, since it means we miss out on their gorgeous heart-shaped faces and striking feathers.
Barn owls have excellent hearing and eyesight to facilitate the night-time hunt.
There are five known species of this nocturnal primate that is native to Southeast Asia.
It spends the day sleeping amongst the trees and comes down at night to hunt food such as small birds and reptiles.
Slow lorises have distinctive human-like hands that enable them to grip things tightly.
This friendly nocturnal creature can be found in Australia and Indonesia.
It's able to glide between trees and feeds mainly on fruits and vegetables with a high sugar content, hence its name.
The sugar glider sleeps during the day and comes out at night to hunt for food.
This nocturnal moth is native to the forested areas of North America. Its striking green and yellow wings span around five inches (almost 13 cm).
During the larvae stage (three to six weeks), a luna moth feeds on many different types of tree.
During the adult stage (around seven days), a luna moth remarkably eats nothing at all. Its only task is to find a mate.
With an estimated 2.16 million animal species on Earth, it's easy to overlook the enigmatic creatures that thrive in the darkness: nocturnal animals. These fascinating beings have adapted to a world where light is scarce, developing heightened senses of smell, sight, and hearing to navigate their nighttime environments. While people rarely catch a glimpse of these animals, they play crucial roles in their ecosystems, from pollinating plants to controlling insect populations. Many of these nocturnal being are not only fascinating, but also remarkably beautiful.
Explore this gallery to discover some of the most stunning creatures that come alive after dark.
Meet the world's most beautiful nocturnal creatures
Explore the hidden lives of the planet’s most elusive creatures
LIFESTYLE Animals
With an estimated 2.16 million animal species on Earth, it's easy to overlook the enigmatic creatures that thrive in the darkness: nocturnal animals. These fascinating beings have adapted to a world where light is scarce, developing heightened senses of smell, sight, and hearing to navigate their nighttime environments. While people rarely catch a glimpse of these animals, they play crucial roles in their ecosystems, from pollinating plants to controlling insect populations. Many of these nocturnal being are not only fascinating, but also remarkably beautiful.
Explore this gallery to discover some of the most stunning creatures that come alive after dark.