Four-Legged Friends - Less Common Ones! Quiz

Answer: Goat

All four of these animals produce wool or fibers, but it is the goat, and specifically the angora goat (mohair) and Kashmir goat (cashmere) that produce these very fine, strong fibers. Angora goats originated from the Ankara region of Turkey, while cashmere is an old spelling variant of Kashmir, the large northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Angora goats are shorn twice a year and can yield up to ten pounds of mohair. Cashmere (wool) is collected during the spring moulting period as the goats shed their winter coats. Pashmina goats are a variety of cashmere goats found in several countries in the Himalayas where the wool is made into world famous shawls. An extra note for trivia buffs: Angora wool does not come from goats, but rather from angora rabbits!

Answer: Pig

The use of pigs for hunting truffles was recorded by the papal historian, Bartolomeo Platina, in 1481. Sows are used as they keenly seek out the scent of a chemical compound in the truffles which is very similar to a pheromone released by boars (male pigs).

The difficulty for the truffle farmer is to then prevent the sow from eating the unearthed truffle. Much more recently, dogs have been also used as they can be trained not to eat the truffle, but they also need to be taught to seek out the particular truffle odor as it holds no particular attraction for them.

Answer: Caribou

Caribou, also commonly called reindeer, have been domesticated for over 5000 years by peoples from the northern circumpolar region. Caribou are ruminants (they chew their cud) and they feed on lichens and mosses in winter. During summertime they have a more expansive diet including leaves and grasses. One unique feature of reindeer, shown in a 2011 study from University College London, is that they can see well into the UV region (down to 320 nm), whereas the human limit is about 400 nm (defining the extent of the 'visible region').

It is believed this adaptation is extremely useful in avoiding predators as urine and fur show up extremely clearly in this UV region.

Answer: Llama

There are fossil records indicating that llamas originated in North America around 40 million years ago, and only migrated to the Andes region of South America relatively recently (three million years ago). None of the camelids (animals of the camel family including llamas) survived in North America past the most recent ice-age, 10-12,000 years ago. Llamas and alpacas are very closely related and differ mainly in size - llamas are significantly bigger - and fineness of wool; alpacas have much finer wool.

It has been suggested that this difference in wool mainly comes from the deliberate breeding of alpacas for this fine wool, whereas llamas are also bred as pack animals.

Answer: Water Buffalo

Water buffalo are commonly used to assist with ploughing and are readily used in wet, muddy areas including paddy fields. Although the domesticated water buffalo numbers exceeded 150 million in 2000 (almost all in Asia) according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the wild water buffalo has been listed as an 'endangered' species by the IUCN. Northern Australia has a large population of feral water buffalo after their introduction from Timor in the 19th century as both a work animal and source of meat. Before a major culling campaign was introduced in the 1980s to reduce the environmental impact of these animals, it was estimated the population exceeded 350,000.

Answer: Ferret

Ferrets are part of the weasel family, which also includes wolverines and otters. Males are called 'hobs' while females are 'jills'. They are obligate carnivores with a rapid metabolism meaning they need to eat frequently. Sharp teeth and strong jaws mean they eat all of their small prey, which in the wild includes rodents and birds.

In 6BC, Caesar Augustus reportedly sent ferrets to the Balearic Islands to help reduce excessive rabbit numbers. In some areas, notably the Shetland Islands and remote parts of New Zealand, introduced and now feral ferrets are causing great ecological damage by ravaging the endemic fauna.

This is especially problematic for bird species in NZ which previously had no mammalian predators.

Answer: Asian Elephant

There are three subspecies of the Asian elephant - Sri Lanka's Elephas maximus maximus, the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) and the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) from Indonesia. All are listed as endangered by the IUCN, primarily due to loss of viable habitat.

These elephants are long lived with lifespans of seventy years not uncommon. The bull (male) elephants are larger than their female counterparts with the males typically weighing up to 12,000 lb (5,400 kg) and the females about 1/3 less.

These animals are highly intelligent with a well-developed sense of self awareness. Mothers and calves tend to move in groups while males tend to be more solitary after mating. They are herbivorous consuming up to 330 lb (150 kg) of a wide variety of plants every day.

Answer: Fatty Tissue

The physiological adaptations of camels are truly amazing. Their body temperature can safely fluctuate over a wide range (93°F (34°C) at night time up to 106°F(41°C) during the day) with no ill effect. Because their body temperatures infrequently reach this upper limit, they very rarely sweat (hence preserving water).

They have oval-shaped red blood cells which flow through narrowed blood vessels caused by dehydration. The concentrated fatty tissue in the humps can be metabolized to generate both energy and water, with each gram of fat yielding more than one gram of water.

The thick coat provides insulation from the heat and the long legs keep the body core away from the hot ground. When water is available they have a very large capacity, being able to take in 25-40 US gallons (100-150 L) in one long drink.

Answer: Yak

The work 'yak' is derived from the Tibetan language and strictly refers only to the male - the female is called a 'nak'. There is still a small population of wild yaks living in the Himalayas but these are endangered. Yaks are ideally suited to living at high elevations (above 10,000 ft; 3000 m) due to their very solid frames, sturdy legs, and dense, long fur that hangs down below the belly. Compared with cattle from lower elevations, the yak has larger lungs and heart and an enhanced capacity for transporting oxygen through the blood.

However, the yak cannot tolerate temperatures much above 60°F (15°C) due to heat exhaustion. The yak also needs grass to eat and won't eat grain, so transporting goods over a distance requires careful route planning.

Answer: Mongoose

Although not related, the mongoose resembles a weasel in appearance with a long face and body, short fur and short pointed ears. Their success in killing poisonous snakes is not a result of exceptionally fast reflexes which allow them to avoid being bitten, but rather that their acetylcholine receptors (the target for the potent neurotoxins in snake venom) are configured so as not to allow binding of the toxin.

They are kept as pets for their ability to control vermin although they are not selective in their prey and will also kill chickens and small mammals creating problems for both farmers and the native fauna.