The forest truly never sleeps, for there are creatures large and small that begin their business only after dark. We’re not just talking about owls and bats. Nocturnal creatures include cats, primates, even elusive pangolins and squirrels. On night drives and walks through the wilderness, it can be hard to spot these creatures in the pitch dark. The best way is to look out for pairs of glowing eyes deep within the bushes or up in the tree canopy. In the dark, an animal’s eyes shine in the light of a torch or vehicle. The next time you hear a late-night rustle in the trees or imagine a flash of movement in a pile of dry leaves, keep your eyes peeled for these curious nocturnal creatures.
Indian nightjar
Found in fields and forests across India, Indian nightjars are small, grey-brown birds that are most active after dark. These tiny birds prefer to nest on the ground, well camouflaged against rocks and bushes, and spend most of the day catching up on sleep. At night, they fly low over the ground, hovering around cattle and streetlights to feed on insects. Driving along wooded areas after dark, look out for a nightjar in the glare of your vehicle’s headlights.
Cover photo: Nightjars are found in wooded habitats and are extremely hard to spot. Their calls sounds like a ping-pong ball bouncing on the floor in the quiet of the night. Cover photo: Dhritiman Mukherjee
Civets
India is home to several species of civets — primarily nocturnal creatures that look like a cross between a cat and a mongoose, with a long body, short limbs, and pointed face. In forested areas across the country, the elusive creatures spend nighttime hours moving across tree branches and sometimes even the forest floor, feeding on fruits, flowers, small rodents, and insects. After dark, a rustle in the trees may well be a civet going about its nightly business, and if you look carefully and are very lucky, you may see find one staring back at you with bright, glowing eyes.
Rusty spotted cat
Tinier than an average house cat, rusty spotted cats are among the smallest of wild cats. A full-grown adult often looks no larger than a kitten, and weighs under two kilos. Spotting these deceptively cute creatures is a rare occurrence. Rusty spotted cats are found only on the Indian subcontinent, living in dense forests, grasslands, or scrub. Small and extremely elusive, the shy cats prefer the cover of the dark and emerge to hunt only after sundown. These nocturnal creatures prowl the forest floor, stalking rodents and frogs. They are also adept climbers, hunting birds on trees. Being active at night allows them to avoid human contact and hunt their prey effectively.
Bengal slow loris
In the forests of northeast India, a shy, nocturnal primate called the Bengal slow loris inhabits the dense tree canopy. With large limpid eyes and bodies covered in soft fur, slow lorises may look as cute as soft toys but can secrete toxic venom from their elbows to fend off predators (and humans who get too close). The elusive creatures spend daytime hours snoozing, and emerge only after dark, moving slowly across tree branches to feed on fruit, insects, and plant sap.
About the contributor
Malavika Bhattacharya
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