Mammals Starting With "O" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Giraffe

The elusive okapi is the only living relative of the giraffe. They are the only two members of the family Giraffidae. They live in the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and were only discovered by outsiders around the very beginning of the 20th century. Shy and secretive, they have excellent hearing which enables them to hear any encroaching animal (including humans).

They are diurnal creatures who lead solitary lives except during mating and when raising calves.

Answer: Be tamed

The onager is a wild ass that cannot be domesticated. Today, the onagar can be found in the Middle East and areas of central Asia. Although the onager can live in a variety of ecosystems, they prefer deserts and arid grasslands. They live in groups consisting of a harem of females with their alpha male. Males without their own harem tend to be solitary or graze with one or maybe two other bachelor males.

The isolated areas in which the onager lives can lead to inbreeding.

Answer: They were hunted for the fur.

The lovely ocelot is known for its beautiful fur. In the 1980s they were hunted extensively for their fur. A fur coat made of ocelot pelts was selling for over $40,000 at the time. They were also being trapped for the pet industry. Owners would take these wild cats and de-fang, de-claw and de-scent them in attempts to make them into 'pets'.

In spite of these attempts, the ocelots would spray a very foul smelling urine on anything that they wished to claim as their own. If they sprayed in your closet it could very well ruin everything inside. During the 1980s, it is estimated that over 200,000 cats were killed every year, just for their fur alone. Today, with laws prohibiting hunting for the fur trade, the ocelot populations have stabilized and they can once again be found over most of South America.

Answer: Tuxedo dolphin

Orcas frequent cold, coastal waters where they feast on fish, squid, seals and other whales. While they may prefer colder waters, they can occasionally be found near the equator. They are pack hunters who travel together in pods which can number as many as 40 members. Orcas are easily recognizable by their distinctive black and white coloring.

They are also known as killer whales, blackfish and grampus. They are very intelligent and are used as the stars in many aquarium shows because of their trainability.

Answer: False

The oncilla is one of the smallest of the wild cats found in the Americas. These dainty cats have fur that ranges from light brown to gray, with dark brown to black spots and blotches. They are found in the central to north-central regions of South America.

The oncilla is a good climber and while often seen in trees, it is not truly arboreal. Little is known about this little wild cat as they are secretive, nocturnal, and are given to living in areas that are hard to access. New information is learned every day, and like all fauna in South America, it is threatened by habitat loss.

Answer: Both fresh and salt

There are over a dozen types of otter and they can be found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. For the most part, all otters enjoy water, some preferring fresh water and others make their homes in marine saltwater. The long, streamlined body allows them easy mobility on land and in the water.

It is not uncommon to see these social animals playing with each other in groups, which leads to the collective noun of 'romp'. Otters do well as a zoo animal and are commonly seen at these facilities.

Answer: False

Oxen are not a specific mammal, nor are they wild. A good definition of an ox is any large, bulky bovine usually used as a draft animal. Many different bovines are used as an ox including yaks, water buffalos and domestic cattle. The term usually refers to a castrated adult male used as a work animal. They are found all over the planet other than in Polar regions.

Answer: Gemsbok

The oryx/gemsbok is a species of African antelope that makes its home in southern areas of the continent. They have magnificent back pointed horns and distinctive black markings. These speedy antelope live in herds consisting of an alpha male and his harem. Occasionally bachelor males hang around, but do not breed.

The will drink when water is available, but usually their water needs are obtained through the grass they graze on.

Answer: Scavenging omnivores

Opossum will eat almost anything. They love to scavenger human trash and will eat almost any type of plant life when prey animals are not available. They are often seen around carrion and have been seen hunting birds, snakes, worms, and insects. The opossum is the only pouched marsupial native to North America.

Answer: Man of the jungle

The word orangutan means "man of the jungle" in the Malay language. Until Europeans took over Borneo and Sumatra, the local people considered the orangutan to be a human that lived quietly in the dense forests that covered the islands. The orangutan is an arboreal ape that swings from branch to branch using their powerful arms. Orangutans are omnivorous and eat many types of plants as well as small birds, mammals, and insects.

It is a gentle, shy animal that avoids confrontation with humans. As their jungle habitats are being destroyed by humans, their populations are declining and they are in grave danger of becoming extinct in the wild.