Roaming Around in Yellowstone Trivia Quiz

Answer: Moose

The initial fall in the moose population within Yellowstone was due to over-hunting, leading to them become a protected species. Measures such as controlling wolf populations were taken in order to increase the number of moose.
However, other factors such as harsh winters and forest fires have meant that the species has not recovered as much as first hoped. Moreover, the favourite vegetation of the moose, the aspen, is becoming scarce.
Nevertheless, the human intervention has prevented the dramatic fluctuations in the moose population which the volatile climate of Yellowstone would otherwise cause.

Being such a large herbivore there are few predators which can threaten the moose. Packs of wolves (as mentioned above) are one and the grizzly bear is another, able to knock down a moose with a swipe of its powerful claw.

Answer: Mountain lion

The mountain lion (cougar) is a solitary cat which tends to hide away from humans. Its stealth and speed make it an ideal ambush predator on the sheep and deer which roam the land of Yellowstone. However, despite being the largest member of the cat family to inhabit the park, it is often unsuccessful in competing for prey against other predators such as the grizzly bear or wolves.

The mountain lion's population is extremely wide ranging, from the cold north of the Rockies to the searing heat of the Andes.

Answer: The bald eagle

Other types of bird which are present in Yellowstone include the blue bird, which is too delicate to brave the harsh winter but flourishes in the summer due to the plentiful food supply of newly hatched insects (e.g. stonefly) by the side of thawing rivers. Another is the trumpeter swan, which can grow to have a wingspan of 7 ft and is typically larger than the bald eagle.

Although the bald eagle can be found in many other locations within the USA, visitors to the park have noted that its beauty seems enhanced when viewed in a setting as stunning as Yellowstone (rather than in the city).

Yellowstone Park's monitoring format is known as the "Bald Eagle Management Objective" and features 62 breeding pairs expected to produce 53 young per year. The park is currently surpassing this target and although the bald eagle has been removed from the endangered list the close monitoring is said to continue.

Answer: Lake trout

Cutthroat trout is probably the most famous species of fish associated with Yellowstone National Park. They can be found in the Shoshone Lake, Lewis Lake and Snake River. Able to grow to large sizes they are common "prize catches" in fly-fishing.

As well as the predatory lake trout, the competitive rainbow, brown and brook trout have caused a decline in the cutthroat population.

Finally, another cause of decrease in cutthroat numbers was the development of whirling disease, brought about by interbreeding with rainbow trout. This disease cause skeletal deformation and neurological damage.

Answer: Competing during mating season

The thick, hard horns of the rams clash with terrific force in order to establish which one gets to mate with the ewe. The ewes also have horns but these smaller and less curved. These sheep (like many others) are brilliant climbers and so do not require any climbing assistance from their horns.

Bighorns were originally a source of meat for the "sheepeaters" of the Shoshone tribe in Yellowstone. As with several other species in Yellowstone the bighorns were taken to near extinction due to over-hunting at the turn of the 20th century. There are now around 200 in Yellowstone National Park.

Answer: Black bear

The large numbers of cutthroat trout in the lakes and rivers of Yellowstone provide much food for both bears. Both black and grizzly bears also eat elk and moose as well as roots and grains.

The bear population of Yellowstone has fluctuated much over time. During the periods where the populations peaked, bears could often be seen on the roadside in the park. This led to several recorded bear attacks over the years and five known bear caused human fatalities.

Because grizzly bears can be very dark and the sizes of both bears can vary greatly, it can be difficult to tell the two apart. Differences include that grizzly bears possess a hump (black bears do not) and black bears have pointed ears. Also, grizzly bears are usually found in the northern part of the park whilst black bears wander the south.

Answer: Burrow in deep snow to reach grass

Being herbivorous, bison would have little interest in catching fish.

The bison is often recognised as a typical symbol of North America and was a staple food to many North American tribes.

As well as the adaptations for finding food in thick snow during the intense 6 month winter bison possess a thick fur coat, insulating them. This is useful as they can exist in these colder conditions whereas many other animals would leave Yellowstone, meaning less competition and less predation.

With over 3,000 bison in Yellowstone National Park, they often drift onto roads, obstructing traffic. This is said to be a huge annoyance to eager tourists who must simply wait until the bison moves out of their path.

Answer: Glacier National Park

There were several packs brought in from Canada in 1995. The wolves which were originally found in the park were Northern Rocky Mountain wolves. Those which were brought in 1995 were Canadian grey wolves. It should be noted that it is now generally accepted that these are not classed as different sub-species by taxonomists.

In a place with large prey such as bison and elk, wolves are very effective in their tactics of hunting in packs. However, many can be injured by these larger animals if caught alone.

The re-introduction of wolves in 1995 was ironically to solve the problem of elk overpopulation in the park. This was seen as beneficial as less elk would mean more aspens, thus allowing other smaller creatures to flourish in Yellowstone. However, many take issue with the re-introduction of wolves as they have often strayed from the park, killing farm livestock.

Whereas other animals in Yellowstone suffer due to the heavy winter, wolves are at their strongest and dominate the landscape during this period.

Answer: Pronghorn antelope

Although it is known as the pronghorn antelope and is often found in the "Antelope Flats" and "Antelope Creek" (as labelled on the Yellowstone map) these animals are not antelope at all. It is the only surviving member of the family Antilocapridae.

Pronghorn usually give birth to twins. Once born, the mother must stay with the infants in order to protect them from coyotes and other predators. However, while the mother grazes the newborns are vulnerable and with weak legs can only lay low to prevent being killed and eaten.

Answer: Bison

Bison are present in the park all year round and are often the first animals thought of when Yellowstone is mentioned.

Although there is a winter season in Yellowstone, it can, in reality, snow any month of the year and although this is not a problem to animals such as bison (who are adapted to the blizzards) other animals can suffer. Animals which are merely summer visitors to the park often cannot cope with the volatile conditions, such as the hummingbird, as snow can damage flowers, cutting their nectar supply.

When summer is established in the park water supplies can be scarce, as rain evaporates before hitting the ground. Nevertheless, lakes are present, formed by the melting of ancient glaciers accommodating creatures such as the otter as well as supporting the Yellowstone cutthroat trout during breeding season.

In short, the many different climates Yellowstone experiences throughout the year results in the diverse and stunning range of animals we see today.

Thanks for taking my quiz, which was inspired by the brilliant BBC documentary series "Yellowstone".