Nocturnal animals are those that come out at night to hunt and play. In North America we are very familiar with the bat, which hangs upside down in dark places during the day. These are the only mammals that can fly and are the most numerous of all mammals. They vary in size and in facial features and their coats range from think fur to almost hairless skin. Some bat species have long tails, which makes them very similar to mice when the wings are folded. However, there are many such species of nocturnal animals in the world that most people are not aware of.

Aye-Aye

This animal is native to Madagascar and is the largest nocturnal primate in the world. It lives mainly in the forest canopies and has black or dark brown fur with white hairs around the neck. Its face looks somewhat like that of a racoon and it has a bushy tail like a squirrel. It has very large teeth, which continue to grow as long as the animal lives. One of the most unique features of this animal is its hands. They have thumbs and long slender fingers and the middle finger can be three times as long as the others.

Binturong

The Binturong is native to Southeast Asia, where it is commonly called the Bearcat. It has a bushy tail and is very much like a large cat, although it has been likened to a bear, which is where its nickname comes from. The tail is almost as long as the body, which can weigh as much as 50 pounds or more.  This animal sleeps on the branches of the trees and although it primarily eats fruit, it can also eat eggs, small rodents and insects.

Great Grey Slug

Although this animal is a slug, it is unique in that it is the only one of its species that breathes air. It has a dark grey spotted body and has a keel on its tail. It can grow to be as much as 20 inches in length. It eats plant matter and fungi and in addition to being active only at night, it is also inactive during the winter months.

Oncilla

Because of the coloring of the Oncilla, you may mistake it for a tiger, which is why it is often called the Tiger Cat. It lives in the rainforests of South and Central America and can be from 18 inches to two feet in height, with a 20 inch tail. It hunts only a night and eats rodents and birds.