Animal Hodgepodge #3 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sandhill crane

Measuring between 80 and 120 centimetres in length and with a wingspan of 1.2 and 1.3 metres, the sandhill crane is the most common type of crane in the world. However, unlike their name suggests, the sandhill crane is largely found in the freshwater wetlands of North America. Though grey in colour, they are often mistakenly believed to be brown due to the mud that tends to transfer to their feathers during the preening process.

Answer: Deer tick

The deer tick, also known as the black-legged tick, is a carnivorous member of the arachnid family, which is considered the principal vector of the dangerous and debilitating illness, Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a disabling infection that (if left untreated) can lead to facial paralysis, heart palpitations, and in rare occasions, even death. Measuring no more than 2 to 3.5 millimetres, which is the equivalent of a sesame seed, the deer tick is significantly smaller than most other ticks, and has a life expectancy of around 2 years.

Answer: Blue marlin

Measuring anything up to 4.3 metres and weighing up to 900 kilogrammes, the blue marlin is one of the biggest fish in the world. Dark blue on top, and silver-white underneath, it spends most of its life in the open sea, and uses it long, sharp bill to stun and kill its prey.

Answer: Sea anemone

The colourful sea anemone gets its name from the terrestrial flower of the same name, which like its ocean namesake, comes in a variety of vivid colours. The sea anemone has no skeleton at all, and tends to attach itself to solid objects, such as rock or coral. Radially symmetric, it uses its tentacles (which have poisonous stingers) to ensnare food, which may include anything from small crustaceans to fish or worms.

Answer: Nudibranch

The nudibranch is a carnivorous invertebrate, measuring anything from 6 millimetres to 31 centimetres, and weighing up to 1.5 kilogrammes. These odd-looking, usually oblong creatures can be found in most of the world's oceans, and while they can bear some striking patterns, they may also be rather dull in colour in order to blend in with their surroundings.

Incredibly, some nudibranchs have been known to retain the toxins and poisons of their prey, even going so far as to use them as a defensive mechanism of their very own.

Answer: Orangutan

The word "orangutan" is Malay in origin, and roughly translates to "person of the forest", a description that certainly fits this tree loving primate, who can only be found in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. With its distinctive, long, orange hair and extraordinarily long arms, the orangutan is easily recognisable and is known for being considerably intelligent.

Answer: Wolverine

Though related, the wolverine does not physically resemble the weasel, and is in actual fact far more physically similar to other powerful mammals, such as the bear. An omnivorous mammal, it tends to frequent the remote areas in the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia and North America, and is largely a solitary animal.

Answer: Porcupine

The porcupine is well known for the spiny needles covering its body, which help to protect it from predators. Each individual "needle" is made up of hair that contains thick layers of keratin, which gives each quill its sharp, needle-like quality. These quills lie flat until the porcupine feels threatened, and when the animal is scared, they spring up. Any lost quills are simply replaced by new ones.

Answer: Mola

Mola mola, or the sunfish is a peculiar fish, which is often described as looking like a floating blob. Measuring up to 3.3 metres and weighing anything up to 2,250 kilogrammes, the mola retains the back fin it was born with, which gives it an odd, bullet-like appearance.

In addition to being the world's largest bony fish, the mola is also the world's heaviest bony fish, and can be found in temperate and tropical oceans.

Answer: Chipmunk

Though somewhat similar to their squirrel cousins, chipmunks are smaller, and all but one of their twenty-five species can be found in North America. The exception is the Asiatic chipmunk, which tends to be found in eastern Europe and northern Asia. Relatively solitary creatures, they make their homes in old logs or under tree roots, and hibernate throughout the cold, winter months.