Xplor More: Nature’s Night Shift

By MDC | January 1, 2025
From Xplor: January/February 2025
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When the sun goes down, these critters get up. Some of Missouri’s most recognizable animals often go unseen. That’s because they’re nocturnal, which means they’re active at night. They search for food, court a mate, and raise their babies between dusk and dawn. During the daytime, they hide in dens or find a quiet place to rest.

Instructions

Can you find these 13 nocturnal animals lurking in the shadows of this wintery woods?

  • Gray Fox
  • Striped Skunk
  • White-Footed Mouse
  • Flying Squirrel
  • Screech Owl
  • Snow Goose
  • Barred Owl
  • Coyote
  • Great Horned Owl
  • Opossum
  • Short-Tailed Shrew
  • Bobcat
  • Raccoon

Also In This Issue

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Photo of a Groundhog
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Hi! I’m Charlotte. I’m a woodchuck — aka a groundhog — a big, chubby squirrel who loves to sleep, eat, and dig.

Media
Squirrel Nest
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A walk through the woods in winter is like following a treasure map. 

This Issue's Staff

Artist – Matt Byrde
Photographer – Noppadol Paothong
Photographer – David Stonner
Designer – Marci Porter
Art Director – Ben Nickelson
Editor – Matt Seek
Subscriptions – Marcia Hale
Magazine Manager – Stephanie Thurber