Nocturnal animals are most active during the night and carry on their daily activities. Many nocturnal animals have tapetum lucidum, a thin reflective membrane in their eyes that helps them see clearly even in low-light conditions.
These animals are dangerous because most of them are predators, and sometimes mistakenly, they strike humans. Here, in this post, we have listed the top 10 most dangerous nocturnal animals in the world that humans should avoid.
Among all nocturnal predators, the maximum of them is from the Big Cat family that attacks humans most of the time. Therefore, in this list, we have taken animals from different families.
So that you know which animals are dangerous to come up against. Also, some animals are not entirely nocturnal but consider crepuscular. So, let’s begin the list.
Most Dangerous Nocturnal Animals
8) Badgers
Badgers are short-legged nocturnal predators that can be found all around the world. They are one of the most aggressive omnivores. They can grow up to 90 cm in length and can weigh around 18 kilograms in physical terms.
Despite their brief appearance, they fight fiercely against any opponent. They usually don’t attack humans, but if they feel threatened or provoked, then they can strike humans. Therefore, always try to avoid Badgers in the woods, especially when they are with their young ones.
Some common Badgers are- Honeybadger, American badger, European badger, Asian badger
7) Black Rhinos
Black rhinoceros or Hook-Lipped rhinoceros are critically endangered species of rhinoceros that are native to southern Africa. They are calm herbivorous nocturnal animals with an average height of 3.5 m in length and weighing around 2,500 kilograms. They are powerful animals.
These gentle animals usually ignore people, but when they feel threatened, they often charge, leading to some severe injuries. These strong animals are perilous to provoke. There are many rhino attacks already registered in the past.
6) Wolves
Wolves are the largest canine and are dangerous predators that can be found in Eurasia and North America. They show no threat to humans and always avoid us.
Also, the risk of a wolf attack is very low to calculate because they are scared of humans. But it doesn’t mean they are not minacious. They are nocturnal.
5) Hyenas
Hyenas are one of the most dangerous nocturnal animals that originated 22 million years ago. These carnivorous predators love to strike at the easiest prey.
Also, according to the African Wildlife Foundation, Hyenas are considered dangerous at night, and due to the scarcity of food and water, they can attack sleeping humans. There are several reports regarding this confirmation.
4) Crocodiles
Other dangerous nocturnal animals are crocodiles, alligators, and gharials. They are semiaquatic reptiles that can be majorly found all around Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia.
They are carnivore animals that usually feed on fish, reptiles, and mammals. These strong predators often attack humans at night near lakes or rivers, and with their powerful jaws, they can easily pierce us.
Among all crocodiles, Saltwater and Nile crocodiles are considered to be the most dangerous, slaughtering hundreds of people each year.
3) Snakes
Snakes are dangerous reptiles and annihilate many humans worldwide. More than 100,000 people lose their lives annually because of snake bites. They are crepuscular means they are neither diurnal nor nocturnal.
But some venomous snake species like vipers are usually nocturnal and hunt small birds, rodents, etc., at night. They use infrared senses to navigate their prey efficiently.
Some common nocturnal snake species are Ball Python, saw-scaled viper, Vipera orlovi, and many more.
2) Bears
Bears are considered to be crepuscular means they are neither diurnal nor nocturnal. Among bears, Spectacled bears are primarily nocturnal and vegetarians. They are very shy and rarely attack humans.
However, other bears like Grizzly bears, Polar bears, Eurasian brown bears, and American black bears have often been known to attack humans. Also, it is nearly impossible to survive a bear attack.
They can weigh around 350–700 kilograms and 2.4–3 meters long on average, and can easily outrun humans.
1) Big Cat
Big Cats are the most dangerous nocturnal animals in the world that humans should avoid not even at night but during the day also. Big Cat is a term used for the members of the genus Panthera, namely the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, cougar, and many others.
These animals have tapetum lucidum in their eyes, allowing them to see in the dark. Therefore, they mostly hunt during the night. They are territorial and in search of food, and to feel threatened, they usually attack humans.
Some of the most dangerous big cat are Lion, Tiger, Cougar, Jaguar, Lynx, Leopard etc.
Special Mention
-
Elephants (nocturnal and diurnal)
Elephants are also considered to be one of the most dangerous animals globally. They are both nocturnal and diurnal and spend more than 14 hours searching for food and water. When wild elephants are with their family, then they easily attack anyone. Wild elephants are strong and minacious.
Here, we conclude our list of “Top 10 Most Dangerous Nocturnal Animals that humans should avoid at night.” We hope you like it. We will be back with another ranking list. Till then, stay tuned with us and read the articles from our site.
Also Read:
Meet Abhidept (nickname Monty), the visionary founder of How It See, being an engineering student, he’s fueled by an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. He is captivated by an eclectic correlation between animal groups, science, and nature, and this fascination drives his quest for understanding.
After completing his degree, he’s set on a mission to delve deep into the realm of nature, accumulating knowledge to share with you through his writing. In the meantime, he loves to watch anime and read anime.