Less Than Zero Trivia Quiz

Answer: Narwhal

The narwhal is recognised by its long spiral tusk which projects from its upper jaw for approximately 7-10 feet. People are led to believe it is a tusk but in fact it is a canine tooth. Scientists are baffled but it is believed the tusk, or tooth as it should be known, is used as part of their mating ritual. Narwhals feed on fish, squid, shrimp and can dive in waters up to 1500 metres deep.

Answer: Only type of wolf not on the endangered species list

Their home is above 70° north latitude which far outreaches most human dwellings as the living conditions are too harsh for mankind. This means they are not prey to human hunters and therefore their numbers are above that of their southern relatives. The Arctic wolf has thick white fur and they live in packs. They can eat approximately twenty pounds of meat during one meal, regurgitating food for their pups when they return back to their pack after a hunting spree.

They live up to ten years in the wild which is a low life expectancy due to the harsh conditions they live in. They hunt in packs to take down large beasts such as caribou or muskox but they also feed on other small animals. Their pups are born blind and deaf, and generally start eating meat at a month old.

Answer: Boss

The "boss" resembles a hair parting at the top of the head with horns flowing off at each side. It sits directly above the brain and consists of approximately three inches of bone and four inches of horn. This protects the skull from damage when two bulls are fighting during the mating season.

Their fur almost covers them to the ground and is believed to be ten times thicker than sheep wool. The male has a musky aroma during mating season which is not surprising with the all thermal underwear he has to wear!

Answer: Colony

This mainly white bird with a black crown and bright orange beak is circumpolar, travelling between both poles to its breeding ground in the Arctic. It has been known to live up to 34 years. Their webbed feet make it easy for diving into cold waters to catch fish or shrimp. Mating with the female involves a "fish fight" whereby the male throws a small fish at the female. If she is interested then she will join in the fish fight. Perhaps if human beings were to take up such rituals, the divorce rate would come down!

Answer: Pinniped

The walrus, seal and sea lion are all pinnipeds, a name taken from the Latin word for 'pinna' meaning wing or fin, and 'ped' meaning foot. The seal and sea lion drag themselves around using their front two fins, but the walrus can walk using all four. Their huge tusks are used for fighting and for digging holes when they climb out of the water onto an icy surface. Clams are their favourite food and they feel around for these by using their long whiskers.

Whales, dolphins and porpoises are cetaceans. Polar bears and otter are fissipeds because of the separate digits on their feet. Sirenian is better known as the sea cow such as manatee or dugong.

Answer: Leveret

The female hare can have a litter of between 4 and 8 leverets. Their thick coats are water resistant to stop snow and ice from permeating the layers. They live in a warren of tunnels under the snow that lead to cosy antechambers and it is this that keeps them snug during the harshest of winters.

The Arctic hare has the ability to change fur colour depending on the time of year. Their fur is brown and black during the summer months and this changes to a white camouflage coat during the winter.

Answer: Caribou

These wild deer are called caribou. Their counterparts in Europe are more domesticated and called reindeer. There are several reasons why caribou have antlers, the first of which is that they use them for defence against predators such as wolves. Another reason is they use their antlers for jousting during mating season against other males. Finally, the caribou's sense of smell is acute and they can detect lichen underneath the snow.

They use their antlers to shovel snow away to get to the tasty morsels.

Answer: Collared lemming

Lemmings are like a lot of other rodents as their reproductive rate is very high. The female has a litter at least three times a year, with three to seven babies in each litter. There is a misconception that lemmings commit mass suicide which is totally inaccurate.

Their migration takes place in massive quantities due to the large number of the species. They are good swimmers but some of the rivers they cross are too much for their small bodies to cope with. Because of this they die in large quantities.

Answer: Yellow

The snowy owl has a stunning yellow iris with a black central pupil. His vision is excellent and this helps him locate prey at a long distance but he cannot roll his eyes like a human can. He has tubular eyes and not eye balls so he is unable to rotate his line of sight. Instead he uses his neck to turn his head 270 degrees either side and almost upside down. Because the eyes are so important to their survival, they have three eyelids. The upper closes when the eye blinks and the lower closes when he is asleep. The third eyelid is a thin nictitating membrane which cleanses the eye.

Answer: True

The polar bear liver is high with vitamin A due to the large amount of meat they consume. Humans can eat most animal livers such as calf and chicken, as the level of retinoic acid can be digested without any side effects. Too much retinol from eating polar bear liver over a short space of time can cause hypervitaminosis A in humans. Mild symptoms include nausea, dizziness and flaking skin.

The worst case scenario results in liver damage, haemorrhage, loss of consciousness and even death.