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🦉 Nocturnal Animals

Find out which animals sleep by day and come alive at night, and see the special big eyes, large ears, and sensitive whiskers that help them hunt in the dark.

lessons

~15 min

to learn

🔬 Science

subject

Ages 6–12

level

Start the course →

What you’ll learn

Awake at NightExplain what nocturnal means and tell nighttime animals apart from daytime animals.Nocturnal animals are awake at night and sleep during the day, the opposite of you. Owls and bats are nocturnal, while butterflies and squirrels are awake in the day. The word for night animals is nocturnal.
Super Night SensesDescribe special body parts that help nocturnal animals in the dark, like big eyes, big ears, and whiskers.Night animals have special helpers. Owls have big eyes to see in low light, and the fennec fox has big ears to hear tiny sounds. Whiskers help animals feel their way around in the dark.
Meet the Night AnimalsName several nocturnal animals such as owls, bats, and hedgehogs.Many animals love the night. The owl hunts silently with big eyes, and bats fly out after sleeping upside down all day. Hedgehogs and moths are busy at night too, filling the dark with life.

Questions this course answers

What does nocturnal mean?

Nocturnal means an animal is awake at night and sleeps during the day.

Which animal is awake at night?

The owl is nocturnal, awake and hunting at night while other animals sleep.

How do an owl's big eyes help it?

An owl's big eyes soak up light, helping it see in the dark of night.

What do a fennec fox's big ears help it do?

Big ears help the fennec fox hear the tiniest sounds, like little bugs moving.

Which animal sleeps hanging upside down and flies at night?

Bats sleep upside down during the day and fly out to find food at night.

Which of these is a nocturnal animal?

A hedgehog is nocturnal. It snuffles around at night looking for bugs to eat.

Grounded in trusted sources

National Geographic Kids
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers
Britannica Kids
Smithsonian's National Zoo

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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