Nocturnal Animals
13 December 2010
The African bush at night is a mysterious place. As the sun begins to set, certain animals become active, preferring the cover of darkness to go about their business.
Rarely seen in the Waterberg, Thicktailed Bushbabies patrol the treetops looking for morsels to eat, moving their agile and fluffy bodies through the trees with ease.
Small predators such as genets and African Civet cats are more commonly seen at night. These omnivorous animals are stealthy hunters and utilise whatever opportunity they can to find food.
Animals such as the leopard are known for being primarily nocturnal. Silently and stealthily, they use the cover of night as prime time to explore the African bush. They take the opportunity to hunt and feed, as well as patrol their territories – making nighttime a perilous period for certain animals, such as impala or small buck – favourite leopard prey.
Some nocturnal animals have evolved formidable defense mechanisms that protect them from predators. Porcupines eat an exclusively vegetarian diet and are constantly ready to defend themselves against attackers; their sharp quills an effective deterrent.
This young pangolin is also perfectly designed for defense. When it feels threatened, it rolls itself into a ball that protects its soft under parts completely. Extremely rare and very shy, pangolins eat an exclusive diet of ants and sometimes termites. When on the move, this special animal walks on its hind legs and uses its acute sense of smell to locate its food.
Far from being a period of quiet, the bushveld at night is a very busy place indeed.
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