Animals of the Night

Raccoons earned the nickname “trash panda” because of their masked faces, clever paws, and habit of rummaging through garbage cans at night for snacks. 

Despite the nickname, they’re not related to pandas at all.

Porcupines are covered in roughly 30,000 quills, which are modified hairs made of keratin—the same material found in human hair and nails. They sleep during the day and spend the dark hours foraging for food.

Jaguars are the largest big cats in the Americas and are famous for their powerful bite, which can pierce turtle shells and even skulls. Their spotted coats feature distinctive rosettes with dots in the center. They use the cover of darkness and trees to stalk prey.

Bats are famous for echolocation: they emit high-frequency sounds and interpret the returning echoes to map their surroundings and pinpoint tiny insects—even in total darkness. Not all bats rely on it equally, but it is one of nature’s most remarkable navigation systems.

Black widow spiders are known for the red hourglass-shaped marking often found on the underside of the female’s abdomen. Contrary to myth, while females sometimes eat their mates after reproduction, it is not a universal rule.