Mammals Starting With "L" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Latin word lemures which means "spirit of the night".

Lemurs are small, nocturnal primates that live, for the most part, on the island of Madagascar. Their large eyes help them to see at night, when they are most active. The surrounding human populations have many beliefs about these animals. Most believe that all lemurs have souls, and some believe that lemurs may be the embodiment of their ancestors.

The word 'lemur' comes from Latin and means "spirit of the night". There are many taboos against eating lemurs and most are left alone. Many types of lemurs are endangered.

This is not because of hunting, but rather, because of habitat loss.

Answer: The older he gets the darker his mane gets.

Lions are the most social of the big cats and live in prides of ten to twenty members. As males get older, their manes get darker and so it is often easy to tell which male in a battle has more experience. The females of a pride do the hunting, while allowing the male to eat first. This is because the male protects the pride, often unto death.

Answer: Langur

The langur is not a shy monkey. Many of them live in suburban areas where they are prone to steal food and crops. They are active both night and day and can be found in the topmost branches of trees as well as on the ground. They are highly adaptable and very intelligent.

In many areas, the langur has a sacred status, while in other cultures they may be used for medicine or kept for good luck.

Answer: The Arctic Circle

The lemming is a small rodent that makes its home in various areas of the Arctic Circle. Lemmings are tough animals that do not hibernate, but instead spend the frigid winters hunting for bulbs and shoots lying beneath the snow. It is an urban myth that older lemmings consciously jump off cliffs in large numbers so that there will be more food and shelter for the younger members.

The lifespan of a lemming is only a couple of years. This is probably because they are such easy prey for many other Arctic animals, especially birds.

Answer: Penguins

The leopard seal is one of Antarctica's top predators. When prey is caught, usually penguins or other seals, they shake the animal back and forth until it is dead. When large prey is not available they will dine on krill, small squid, and fish. Leopard seals are solitary animals and spend many hours a day vocalizing underwater.

Answer: The marshes of Botswana

Lechwe are found in the marshy areas of Botswana, Zambia, and other countries of south central Africa. As with many antelope, the lechwe is diurnal. They are extremely at ease in the water and spend their time grazing in water that is as high as shoulder-deep.

While they are very good swimmers, they prefer to walk on the soft marsh bottoms. They have long legs with soft hooves that are adapted to their semi-aquatic behaviors.

Answer: South America

Known for its tufted ears, the lynx can be found in the northern regions of Asia, in Europe, and the northern areas of North America. They are solitary cats that roam forested areas looking for squirrels, rabbits and occasionally small deer. They have excellent hearing and eyesight which assist them during nocturnal hunting.

Answer: Loris

The loris is an unusual, arboreal primate found in southeastern Asia. They store venom in an elbow patch. They use this venom to cover their infants as protection. They will also take this venom into their mouths if threatened, and then bite their enemy. Local human populations catch the loris for both spiritual and medicinal purposes.

Answer: True

The leopard is a strong, powerful cat found all over regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. The leopard is known to carry its prey up into the trees for safekeeping. Its lovely spotted coat helps it to hide in the branches where it waits for its prey to come walking along.

It pounces out of the tree onto the unsuspecting prey, and dispatches it quickly. Leopards are also excellent swimmers and are known to hunt fish and crabs while in the water.

Answer: Camel

Indigenous to South America, the llama is a cousin of the camel. Smaller in size, the llama has wonderful fur which can be used to weave almost anything. They have been used as pack animals for centuries. The llama is a grazing animal which usually obtains all needed water from the plants it consumes.