Taking Turns with the Day
The Earth is always turning, so every corner of it gets its share of daylight and darkness, over and over. And here is the wonderful part: the animals have quietly divided up those hours between them. Some are awake all day. Others only stir once the sun has gone down.
Why share out the hours?
Imagine if every single animal wanted the same breakfast at the same moment — there simply wouldn't be enough to go round. So some take the day shift and some take the night shift, and that way they keep out of each other's way.
Staying safe and staying comfy:
Being wide awake when the creatures that hunt you are fast asleep is a brilliant trick for staying alive. And the weather matters too. In very hot places, animals often wait for the cool of the night. But a cold-blooded animal like a lizard needs the daytime, because it has to soak up the sun's warmth before it can move about at all.
Watch closely at dawn and dusk and you might catch the handover — the moment the day creatures clock off and the night creatures clock on.
💡 Fun Facts
- The Earth spins, so everywhere gets daylight and darkness in turn — and animals have shared out those hours between them.
- Some creatures take the "day shift" and some take the "night shift", so they don't all chase the same food at the same time.
- Being awake while your enemies are asleep is a clever way to stay safe.
- In hot places, many animals wait for the cool of the night; a cold-blooded lizard needs the day to warm up in the sun.
- Dawn and dusk are a busy crossover, when the two shifts bump into one another.