Key American Zoos Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hippopotamus

Hippos, like their name suggests, are water animals; the word "hippopotamus" is of Greek origin and means "water horse". Hippos are one of the largest land mammals that exist, and although they are similar to animals like pigs, they are actually water animals. This doesn't mean that they can float or swim (as they can't), but their body is adapted for them to spend long periods of time in water, given that they can hear, see and breathe underwater.

At the San Diego Zoo, hippos are taken care of in a glass-covered pool, so that people can see them from the outside. The pool, in addition to hippos, has tilapia fish inside it. The fish feed with dead skin and food from hippos, as they would in their normal habitat, which helps keep the hippos clean.

Answer: Giraffe

Giraffes are the tallest land animals, since their necks are almost 1.8 meters long, and weigh more than 250 kilograms! Each of the spots that giraffes have is unique, like human fingerprints, and the color of them really depends of what they eat.

The Dallas Zoo has a number of exhibits, like the "Giants of the Savanna" one, and the "Wilds of Africa" exhibit, which opened in 1990 and has many African ecosystems for animals. It is recognized as the first zoo exhibit to show all major habitats of a single continent. The giant giraffe statue, inaugurated in 1997, was created by artist Bob Cassilly and, according to the zoo website, is the tallest statue in the state of Texas.

Answer: Chicago

Chicago, located in the state of Illinois, is often referred to as "the windy city", and the origin of this nickname is not certain. While it is argued that the weather may be a factor, winds in Chicago are not very strong compared to other cities in the United States. Another possible reason comes from an article by Charles A. Dana, referring to the possibility of Chicago hosting the World's Fair.

The Brookfield Zoo is located outside of the city of Chicago, has more than 10 great animal exhibits, such as the "Living Coast", which features the Humboldt Penguin, or the "Tropic World", an exhibit with otters, monkeys, and anteaters, among others.

Answer: Red

The scientific name for the red panda, Ailurus fulgens, can translate from Greek as "bright-colored cat". It was discovered by French zoologist Frederic Cuvier in 1825, approximately 50 years before the discovery of the common black and white bear we simply identify as "panda" today. Their diet is almost entirely based on bamboo, and they can be found in Asia.

The Houston Zoo has thousands of animals, who are taken care of by keepers who also give educational talks to children! The zoo has a special children's section, the John P. McGovern Children's Zoo, where kids get to interact with animals like butterflies and goats.

Answer: Henry Doorly

Henry Doorly, born in Barbados, migrated to Omaha to work as an engineer. However, he went on to become the chairman of the World Publishing Company, after failing as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald. Doorly's work for more than 50 years with the company gave him recognition throughout the city.

The City of Omaha opened Riverview Park in 1894, which set the foundations for today's zoo. From then and until 1963, the zoo was improved with the addition of new exhibits, as in that same year, Margaret Hitchcock Doorly, Henry's wife, made a donation to the zoo, with the condition that the zoo would bear her husband's name.

Answer: Okapi

Okapis are originally from Central Africa, and share several characteristics with giraffes, such as their dark, long tongue they use to grab food. Okapis are herbivores, so they eat more than 20 kilograms of leaves and fruits daily!

The Columbus Zoo is divided in regions like "North America", "Asia Quest" and "Voyage to Australia and the Islands", each with a different variety of animals. The zoo also has several rides to make the experience interesting.

Answer: Tiger

Tigers are very large felines, who have a unique striped pattern on their skin. Even though they are usually orange and black, there are many combinations, like black and white or even just white! There are six species of tigers; Siberian, Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, Sumatran and South Chinese, and all of these are endangered.

The Memphis Zoo has exhibits like "Penguin Rock", "Pelican Pool" and "Tropical Bird House", where several animal species from all over the world can be found.

Answer: Manatee

Manatees can weigh as much as 600 kilograms! These large animals move very slowly in bodies of water like coastal waters and rivers, which leads to them being easily killed by hunters. There are existing laws against manatee killing, although motorboats and fishing nets continue to pose a threat to their lives.

The "Otto M. Budig Manatee Springs" exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo not only features the amazing manatee, but other animals like the alligator snapping turtle. The place is used to rehabilitate manatees and then release them to their habitats again.

Answer: Penguins

Penguins have a special spot at the Saint Louis Zoo, at the "Penguin and Puffin Coast". There, four species of penguins join together; the Gentoo Penguin, the Humboldt Penguin, the King Penguin and the Rockhopper Penguin. Penguins are categorized as birds, however, as opposed to most birds, they can't fly, though they can swim.

The zoo is divided in "River's Edge", which has animals like hippos and anteaters, "The Wild", which has penguins and puffins, "Discovery Corner", which has several insects and goats, "Historic Hill", with various monkeys and reptiles, and "Red Rocks", where you can see many felines and animals like giraffes.

Answer: Grey seal

Amphibians are animals that live both in water and in land. These animals are cold-blooded, breathe through their skin, and experience the process of metamorphosis. Also, all amphibians have a backbone, which makes them all vertebrates. The grey seal is a mammal that feeds mostly on fish, and can be found in the Atlantic Ocean.

At the Toledo Zoo, you can find several kinds of amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles and insects! The zoo also has a place called "Hippoquarium", which as the name suggests, is an aquarium for hippos!