![]() In many cases, these species are nocturnal. So, why do we potentially find them scary? A similar case could be made for spiders, rats, and numerous other species we find spooky. The biggest threat bats pose to humans is through bacteria and viruses they may pass on, which is still limited and rare. We’re probably all familiar with the infamous vampire bat, but these almost never bite people – even when encouraged to in laboratory tests. There are over 1,400 species of bats in the world, only a mere 18 of which can be found in the UK. When it comes to Halloween decorations, they wouldn’t be complete without a shadowy bat silhouette or a sticky spiders web. With a flat, elongated, oversized snout that shadows a highly extendable jaw filled with nail-like teeth, it’s not hard to see how it got its name. The belong to a family that dates back 125 million years. This is one of the oldest and most rarely seen species of deep-sea shark that we know of. But despite its fearsome appearance, it drinks nectar, not blood, and feeds on sticky fruits – which is why it benefits from a featherless face. Its bare, black facial skin gives it another nickname – the vulturine parrot. A native of New Guinea, this parrot has an especially hooked beak and black, greyish, scale-like plumage with crimson red breast feathers. Take the “Dracula” parrot, more officially known as Pesquet’s parrot. Then there are other animals that have been given monstrous monikers. Luckily though, there’s nothing to fear – unless you’re a small rodent! Add in the fact they love nothing more than setting up home in open and abandoned buildings (hence their name), and you have all the key ingredients for a spooky and unexpected encounter. Flying silently, with feathers that reflect moonlight, and the unearthly shrieks and hisses they utter (instead of a typical hoot), make them a great candidate. The barn owl is often thought to be the reality behind many a ghost story. In fact, if you haven’t run for your life, a look back might give you a glimpse of one of our best loved birds. It’s the stuff of nightmares, not to mention many a horror movie. Then slowly and silently, something faint and pale drifts over the tombstones towards you, with two large, piercing black eyes. ![]() For many, nothing can be more chilling than walking through a deserted graveyard at night, only to hear the eeriest of screams coming from the direction of a gothic church tower. Since at least the 9th century (and probably long before), it has been associated with the arrival of darkness and all things spooky.įor instance, what would Halloween be without its ghosts? Certainly, a little less haunting perhaps. The ancient festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-en/sau-ain), not only marked the end of the Gaelic harvest, but also the eve when the entrances to burial mounds were opened as portals to the otherworld. Halloween is upon us, and the annual fright fest wouldn’t be complete without its monsters, phantoms, and creeps.
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