Just Another Critter Quiz

Answer: turtle

A terrapin is a small turtle native to the southern and eastern areas of North America. Their numbers have decreased over the last 200 years because they are considered a delicacy. Strangely, Prohibition in the early part of the 20th century may have been their saving grace, in that alcohol was considered vital to a good turtle stew. Most terrapins are found today in the mangrove swamps of Florida where they are a protected species.

Other than man, the animal that causes the most threat to terrapins is the raccoon who will scavenge terrapin nests and will also spend the long time required to kill an adult terrapin.

Answer: woodpecker

A yellow-bellied sapsucker is a woodpecker found in the Caribbean and North and Central America. While they do have a light yellow belly they also have a very bright red forehead and crown. The rest of the bird is a variation of black and white. These birds mate for life and as with most birds the male is much brighter in color than the female.

Answer: white rhinoceros

The white rhino can grow up to 8,000 lbs. It has two horns on its snout that are made of keratin rather than bone or ivory. There are two subspecies, the southern white rhino that is estimated to have at least 15,000 members in the wild, and the much rarer northern white rhino, which may be soon be extinct as there are less than 10 individuals still alive. An unusual trait of rhinos is that individuals caught in the wild will breed often and easily in captivity, while those born in captivity do not breed well.

The reason for this is unknown.

Answer: kakapo

The critically endangered kakapo can weigh up to 9 lbs. It is just one of the many endangered birds of New Zealand.It has mottled yellow-green feathers, small wings, and fine vibrissa-like feathers around its face. In 2010, the Kakapo Recovery Plan announced that only 123 individuals were still alive.

Answer: solenodon

The solenodon is a small nocturnal mammal that resembles a large shrew. They are found in Cuba and Hispaniola. The solenodon injects a rattlesnake-like venom through its lower teeth. Its diet consists of insects and carrion. The solenodon is critically endangered and was thought to be extinct until rediscovered in 2003.

The major threat to the survival of the solenodon are feral cats and dogs and the mongoose.

Answer: Mongolia

To see a saiga I would have to visit Mongolia. They can also be found in small secluded populations in Russia and Kazakhstan. This unusual antelope is easily identified by its unusually shaped head and over-sized nasal structure. The large flexible nose is thought to warm the frigid winter air. Only the male sports horns.

Their horns are thought to have medicinal value by practitioners of herbal medicines. Poaching is the greatest threat to these unusual animals.

Answer: shell

Both slugs and snails are gastropods. A slug does not have a shell, while a snail does. Because slugs do not have the protection that a shell provides they are usually found near water in an effort to remain cool and moist. Both gastropods are considered delicacies in some parts of the world.

Answer: nectar

While some female mosquitoes feed on blood, all males and many females feed on plant nectar. There are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes found throughout the world and each is slightly different. Most feed at dawn or dusk when it is cooler and there is still light. Mosquitoes are vectors for a variety of diseases including malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever. Millions of people die each year from diseases caught from the bite of a tiny mosquito.

Answer: pronghorn antelope

The pronghorn can reach speeds of 60mph. While it cannot outrun a cheetah, it does not need to as it is native to North America. Both males and females have horns although the males are noticeably larger. While it is not as fast as the cheetah, it can sustain it high speeds for a much longer period of time. Ironically, they are very poor jumpers.

Answer: subterranean caves

The olm is an amphibian that is endemic to underwater caves in Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. It is Europe's only cave adapted vertebrate. The olm is blind but has exceptional smell, hearing, and taste. They are very electrosensitive. The olm is a salamander with very small slender legs and a snake-like body. Because it lives in darkness it has no pigmentation in its skin. Specimens have been known to live as long as 70 years. Studies have also shown that the olm can go as long as 10 years between meals without detrimental effect.