Did you know that there are animals capable of sleeping more than 20 hours in a row? These long hours of sleep are due to factors such as diet, the amount of activity they do, the needs they must meet to stay healthy, their ability to adapt, etc. Animal that sleeps a lot: The list of the biggest sleepers.
Animal that sleeps a lot: how long do animals sleep?
Like humans, animals need sleep, although the time varies for each species . Some rest at night and some prefer to do so during the day, while other sleepy animals spend most of their time in this activity.
Sleep helps restore energy, in addition to relaxing and balancing the metabolism. For this reason, it is a function that all animals perform, without exception!
List of animals that sleep a lot
Which animals sleep the most? Although all animals sleep, they don't all sleep the same way. Some animals hibernate in winter to survive high temperatures, however, in this list we will not rely on this data, since the animals included are those that sleep the longest during the day throughout the year.
1. Koala
The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a herbivore belonging to the marsupial family. It lives in trees most of the time, as it is difficult for it to move on the ground.
How long does a koala sleep? The truth is that it is the animal that sleeps the most, because it passes 22 hours to sleep, using only 2 to feed and meet its physiological needs. This is mainly due to his diet based on eucalyptus, a very nutrient-poor plant that requires a lot of energy to digest.
2. Sloth
It should not be confused with the sloth bear, as they are different animals. The sloth is a mammal included in the list of animals that sleep the most, surpassed only by the koala. He is part of the under - order of folivorous and has the ability to sleep up to 20 hours a day , a function he performs hanging from the branches of trees. When active, it fulfills its needs, seeks a mate, or simply moves to another location to continue sleeping.
There are house sloths that can sleep up to 23 hours a day because they don't have to strain themselves to find their food or move to new shelters.
3. Little brown bat
The little brown bat (Myotis longipes) owes its name to its rare 10 cm in length and 14 kilograms in weight. Its coat color is light brown on the torso, with darker tones on the rest of the body.
He is a sleeping animal, for he passes 20 hours in this activity. Their life expectancy is 7 years.
4. Opossum
The opossum (superfamily of Didelphimorphia) is a marsupial characterized by a 40 cm long tail, a robust body and an elongated snout. It is agile and quick to move around its habitat and has the ability to "play dead" when in danger.
The opossum is on this list of 15 animals that sleep a lot because it needs about 19 hours of sleep per day to recharge.
5. We
The armadillo (family Dasypodidae) is a mammal that is characterized by its shell and appearance similar to that of a prehistoric rat. It has a pointed muzzle and small eyes, in addition, its skin has shades of pink, brown, gray or yellowish. Live in warm, humid climates, such as wooded areas or grasslands.
It is in this list of animals that sleep a lot because it is able to sleep for up to 19 hours straight .
6. Ferret
The ferret (Mustela putorius furo) is a carnivorous mammal that is characterized by an elongated body, short legs and ears, a shaped nose and small eyes. Its coat varies between white, black and silver.
This animal sleeps 18 hours a day . When awake, he is very active and extremely curious, as well as very sociable and playful. Since in addition to being one of the animals that sleep the most, it is increasingly popular as a pet.
7. Mountain Pygmy Possum
The opossum (Burramys parvus) is a marsupial native to South America. Invest about 18 hours a day to sleep. However, once awake, it feeds on anything in its path, as it is an omnivorous animal. Their diet consists of plants, leaves, fruits, insects, frogs, snakes, small birds, etc.
8. Lemur
The lemur (superfamily Lemuroidea) is an endemic mammal of the island of Madagascar. It belongs to the family of primates and lives mostly on trees, in groups of several members. Its fur is grayish, with black spots around the tail and eyes, which are yellow.
The lemur is another of the animals asleep , Because he sleeps up to 16 hours a day , devoting the rest of the time to eating, interacting with other people, etc.
9. Tigre
The tiger (Panthera tigris) is one of the biggest and scariest animals in the world. A great hunter, it is at the top of the food chain in the areas it inhabits.
This mammal sleeps until 16 p.m. , especially during the day, since at night it is mainly dedicated to hunting and moving to find a companion. The latter is done during the mating season, as the rest of the time is quite lonely.
10. Domestic Cat
The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is perhaps the most famous domestic animal after the dog. In addition to the attractiveness of its fur and pleasant company, it is characterized by long hours of sleep.
A common domestic cat can sleep 16 hours a day , while he spends the rest of his time eating, playing or meeting his physiological needs.
11. Musaraigne
The shrew (subfamily Soricidae) is a mammal that feeds on insects and small invertebrates. It measures between 5 and 8 cm and is characterized by a pointed muzzle, small eyes, short fur and a very long tail.
He realises 16 hours of sleep per day and has a life expectancy of 4 years, although he normally only lives 2.
12. Tupaya
Tupayas, belonging to the order of Scandentia and also called scandentia or shrews, are small mammals native to the Asian continent. They feed on insects, such as ants, grasshoppers, butterflies, etc.
These animals sleep up to 15 hours a day , very similar to the time tigers spend. The reason for this long dream seems to be due to the effort they make to acquire their food.
13. Squirrel
Squirrels (subfamily Ratufinae) are rodents found throughout the world. They live in trees, with the exception of ground squirrels, which dig their burrows in the ground.
Squirrels are also considered high sleepers because they can pass up to 14 hours at rest , while in their free time they spend their time foraging for food and changing shelter.
14. Lion
The lion (Panthera leo) is the king of the savannah. Its imposing size and mane, in addition to its carnivorous habits, make it an unrivaled specimen. Do you know how long a lion sleeps?
While the females take care of the young and search for the food necessary for the herd, the male lion is one of the animals that sleeps during the day, as they devote themselves to this activity between 13 and 20 hours . When awake, they spend their time feeding, mating, or protecting the female and cubs from other lions.
15. Dog
The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) also occupies a place in this list of animals that sleep a lot, especially since they are among those who sleep the most during the day. Although it is true that they stay awake and alert to any threat, they spend about 13 hours a day to sleep. This time is broken down into 8 or 9 hour slots during the night, adding naps in the morning.
Animal that sleeps a lot: you have the complete list!
