"B" is for bear, but also for....? Quiz

Answer: Badger

The badger is part of the weasel family, which also includes otters, wolverines and polecats. There are eleven extant badger species including the ferocious honey badger and a most unwelcome house guest, the Asiatic stink badger.

In Kenneth Grahame's 1908 novel, Mr Badger is the rather gruff elder statesmen that Toad and Rat turn to when Mr Toad gets into trouble and needs to be rescued.

Answer: Bison

Also sometimes called a buffalo, although 'true buffalo' are only distant relatives, the bison can be found today in parts of North America and in eastern Europe and the Caucasus region.

The American bison (pictured) once roamed from northwestern Canada, to northern Mexico and right across to the eastern seaboard of the USA. Its decline came about due to a combination of hunting and disease caught from domestic cattle: there were once millions of individuals but that number is now somewhere around only 500,000. Described as having a "wild and ungovernable temper", bison have never been successfully domesticated. They can jump an amazing six feet vertically and run at up to 40 mph. Fences, even those made of razor wire, have proved useless in preventing a bison from going where it wants to.

The slightly smaller European bison was hunted to extinction in the wild in the early 20th century. Scientists began reintroducing them in the 1950s and there are now sizable herds, particularly in ancient wooded areas of Poland, Germany and Ukraine. Small herds have recently been introduced into Spain (in 2010), Denmark and Bulgaria (in 2012).

Answer: Blue Jay

This bird's Latin name, 'Cyanocitta cristata', translates to mean "blue" (cyan) "chattering bird" (citta), "crested" (cristata). A member of the crow family, its closest cousins include ravens, magpies and jackdaws.

The relocation of the Montreal Expos to Washington in 2004 left the Toronto Blue Jays as the only Major League Baseball franchise located outside the U.S. The Jays joined the league as an expansion team in 1977, adopting the colours of the city's other major sporting franchises, the Maple Leafs (ice hockey) and Argonauts (Canadian football). The Blue Jays first topped their division in 1985 and then won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. More than 20 years later, though, they were still waiting for their next division title.

Answer: Brush-tailed bandicoot

Bandicoots come from an order of around 20 species of omnivorous marsupials that includes bilbies (also known as rabbit bandicoots), the mostly-herbivorous short-legged bandicoots, and the New Guinean bandicoots including the spiny bandicoot. Although they may appear rat-like in appearance, with their arched back, tapered snout, thin legs and long tail, bandicoots are mammals, so not particularly closely related to their rodent doppelgangers.

Answer: Basset Hound

Scent hounds were originally bred for hunting rabbits and hares, only the bloodhound has a better sense of smell than the basset hound. Like its cousin the bloodhound, the basset hound has what appears to be spare skin that hangs down, giving the impression of a sad expression, hence the phrase 'hang-dog look'. Appearances can be deceptive, though, and basset hounds are generally friendly and playful.

I have had basset hounds and they are amazing dogs. Puppies, in particular, are hilarious to watch, as they learn not to trip over their pendulous ears. They are also prone to biting their own ears too, as they dangle down in their food bowl.

Answer: Barracuda

Barracudas grow up to seven feet in length and can be a fearsome sight with their sharp, fang-like teeth. Primarily an ocean fish, some sub-species can also be found in large estuaries too.

Opportunistic predators, barracudas can reach speeds close to 30 mph in short bursts when chasing prey. Other fish species as large as themselves are often targeted by barracudas. Even humans are not exempt: although barracudas (unlike some shark species) do not actively target humans, they will bite anything that looks vaguely like food in the often-murky water close to shore.

Answer: Bonobo

Once called a 'pygmy chimpanzee', the bonobo shares many characteristics of its closest relative, the common chimpanzee. These two species, the only extant species in the Pan genus, are the closest surviving animal species to humans.

The bonobo lives both on the ground and in trees, usually sleeping in nests built in the branches and coming down to ground level to forage during the day. When on the ground, the bonobo usually knuckle walks on all fours.

The bonobo has a range of facial expressions that make it appear more human-like than its close cousin, not to mention its 'bad haircut' appearance.

Answer: Bobcat

Part of the lynx family, a dozen sub-species of bobcat are found throughout North America. Their natural habitats include wooded areas as well as swamplands, forest edges and semi-arid desert.

A carnivorous mammal, bobcats will eat birds, rodents and even small deer, but their prey of choice is rabbits and hares. A crepuscular hunter, the best time to see a bobcat in the wild is around twilight at either end of the day.

Answer: Beaver

In the order of Rodentia, only the capybara is larger than the beaver. Their closest relatives are pocket gophers and kangaroo rats.

Colonies of beavers build dams, creating pockets of deep, still water in which they can build their homes, known as lodges. Their powerful teeth are used for cutting branches from trees and other plants. These are then floated downstream for either food or building material. Beavers use their large, flat tail both for swimming but also for creating a distinctive alarm call: they slap their tail on the surface of the water to warm other beavers of danger. Having sounded the alarm, a beaver will often diver below the surface, where he can survive for as long as 15 minutes.

Answer: Binturong

The binturong was first identified by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. Once relatively common throughout the tall forests of Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and much of China, it is now rarely seen and its population is estimated at less than 30% of what it was only 30 years ago.

The binturong is the largest member of the Viverridae family that also includes linsang, civets and genets. Its head and body grows to an average length of around 30 inches, but its total length is just about doubled by its tail.