Mammals Starting With "A" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Madagascar

The nocturnal aye-aye is a small primate that makes its home on the island nation of Madagascar. They have long fingers and toes that end with claws, and their big toe is opposable which allows them to hang from branches. They are an arboreal animal that feeds on insect larvae and fruit.

The native population tends to consider the aye-aye to be an omen of bad luck and will kill the animal on sight. That behavior, as well as loss of habitat, has led to the aye-aye population becoming critically endangered.

Answer: Earth pig

The aardvark derives its name from the Dutch words for "earth pig". The aardvark is an insectivore that spends most of the day underground in order to escape the heat of the day. They have spade-shaped claws that they use to dig out their favorite food, termites.

When eating, it closes its nostrils so that the dust from the termite mound does not enter its nose. They have a long, sticky tongue that traps any termites that come close enough. A large aardvark can weigh as much as a 180 lbs. (82 kg).

Answer: Desert

The desert-dwelling addax has multiple adaptations to the harsh habitat that it calls home. It has hooves which splay out, providing them with a broad base, enabling them to walk on sand. They have a grayish-white coat which reflects the sunlight. They produce some of the most highly concentrated urine of any animal, which helps them to conserve precious water.

While its wild populations have dwindled, its beautiful spiral horns and gentle demeanor has led to it being a zoo favorite.

Answer: True

Anteaters do not have teeth, instead they use their long, sticky tongue to eat thousands of ants and termites every day. They are able to flick their tongues up to 160 times in a minute during a feeding frenzy. Anteaters have poor eyesight and hunt by using their excellent sense of smell. Anteaters are found in Central and South America and usually make their homes in tropical forests or open grasslands.

They have long claws which are used for hunting and to fight off predators, such as pumas and jaguars.

Answer: They frequently have identical quadruplets

Many types of armadillos give birth to four identical offspring that have resulted from one egg. This allows for medical experiments using four identical animals. They are also one of the few animals that can carry Hansen's disease (leprosy) and Chagas disease. Most armadillos eat insects, grubs, and ants. Armadillos originated in South America, but have spread to North America in the past 400 years.

Answer: Aurochs

Aurochs are believed to have been the ancestor of modern cattle. They lived throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa. The last recorded auroch is thought to have died around 1627 in the forests of Poland. Images of this mighty beast are among the cave paintings found in Lascaux, France.

There are also images of them found in Egyptian grave paintings. They are thought to have lived in small herds and were herbivores, behaviors that are still seen in cattle today.

Answer: Aardwolf

The aardwolf can be found in many places in Africa. They feed on larvae, termites, and carrion. They are not a pack animal, and lead a solitary life except during mating and rearing young. They are smaller than hyenas and have larger ears and an excellent sense of smell. They live in underground burrows and are most active at night.

Answer: False

The agouti is not a marsupial nor does it live in Java. Instead, the agouti is a rodent that lives in many areas of Central and South America. They come in a variety of colors depending on where they live. They are closely related to guinea pigs, and bear a resemblance to a squirrel without a tail.

The agouti eludes predators by climbing trees, swimming, and galloping. They eat seeds, nuts, eggs and fruit. Agouti bond for life and are amongst the longest living rodents of the planet, with a life span of twenty years.

Answer: For their wool

Alpacas are a small domesticated camelid that have been kept in herds for centuries by the native people of the Andes Mountains in Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and Bolivia. The wool from these gentle creatures has been used to make fabric suitable for blankets and clothing. Alpacas are not usually used as a pack animal due to their diminutive size.

While alpaca meat is bought and sold, their true value lies in the voluminous amounts of fiber they produce every year.

Answer: Sheep

Native to the highlands of central Asia, the argali is the largest living wild sheep. The horns in some subspecies of argali can grow as long as six ft. (1.8m). These agile runners are able to escape most predators by climb up the sides of rocky mountain slopes. These herbivores live in small herds and are well adapted to high elevations and snowfall.