Page 104 - One Million Things: Animal Life - The Incredible Visual Guide

IN THE DARK

Many animal species are not active in daylight,
preferring to feed under the cover of darkness. Some BARN OWL
are nocturnal, becoming active at night in order to avoid This nocturnal hunter is remarkable
high daytime temperatures, predators, or competition because it can hunt in pitch darkness.
with other species. Others live in habitats, such as the deep It uses its acute sense of hearing to
ocean, burrows, or caves, where darkness is permanent. locate prey, then swoops down
All have their own ways of navigating and finding soundlessly and grabs its victim with
razor sharp talons. Like other
food without the benefit of light. owls, the barn owl has big
eyes, ideally suited for
vision in dim light.

Fringed wing
feathers help to
produce silent flight

EUROPEAN MOLE BLACK-TAILED
Life underground means that sight JACKRABBIT
and hearing are not important to Like many desert animals, the
these champion burrowers. Instead, black-tailed jackrabbit shelters in
their heads have a very sensitive, the shade during the intense
mobile snout with whiskers linked to daytime heat, emerging in the cool
touch receptors. Using smell and of the night to feed. The jackrabbit
touch, the mole locates its food: uses its long ears to listen for
earthworms, slugs, and insect larvae predators, such as coyotes.
that fall into its tunnels.

TREE WETA
These large relatives of crickets are
found only in New Zealand. By day,
tree wetas shelter in tree holes,
originally excavated by beetles. At
night they emerge to feed on plants
and small insects. Wetas navigate
and sense prey in the dark using
their long antennae.

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