Sultans of the Rainforest Trivia Quiz

Answer: Primate

With less than 2,000 individuals left, the golden lion tamarin is one of the most endangered monkeys in South America. This tiny arboreal primate has lost over 95% of its native habitat, an occurrence that is unfortunately all to familiar for the wild animals of the South American rainforest.

The golden lion tamarin lives in, kinship groups, and are known to move from place to place each day. They derive their name from the beautiful long mane that grows around its head and neck, and their fur which is striking golden-red in color.

Answer: Bush Dog

The bush dog is a very rare wild dog of South America. This unique looking dog might be considered South America's answer for the North American coyote. This unusual-looking short legged dog will scavenge alone as well as hunt in packs. They are capable of bringing down any of the large species of animals indigenous to South America when pack hunting.

They have long bushy fur similar to that of the domestic chow chow, with a brown fur that is lighter on the belly. For many years it was only known by outsiders from cave fossils, and is the only member in its genus "Speothos".

Its closest relative is the maned wolf which although taller, is much lighter in weight and can be found in some of the same areas. Both are endangered species who are threatened by habitat loss and loss of prey animals for consumption.

Answer: Piranha

Also known as caribes, the piranha is world famous for its huge appetite. There are many subspecies of piranha that live in the Amazon basin and the rivers that make up this very rich ecosystem. Though not a large fish, their voracious appetite and extremely sharp teeth allow a school of these fish to make short work of any large animal unfortunate enough to fall into their midst. Sadly, ignorance and curiosity have led to people importing these fish into areas that are far from their indigenous habitat.

When these owners realize they cannot meet the needs of this carnivorous fish, they release them into the freshwater rivers, lakes and ponds in their area where they are now wreaking havoc.

Answer: A small spotted cat

The beautiful colocolo is a small spotted wild cat that also has stripes for added decoration to its already magnificent fur. They can be found in many areas of South America including the rainforest, the mountains, and the Pacific beaches. These are a small wild cat with cinnamon, black, and gray fur that usually weigh in at about 6.6 lbs (3kg).

They are known to dine on small birds, rodents, and other small mammals. They usually only give birth to one or two kittens which is the norm for most wild cats and have a life span in the wild of approx 12 years.

Answer: Black caiman

All options all reptiles found in South America, but it is the caimans who belong to the family Alligatoridae whose only other family member is American alligators. There are several varieties of caiman, also spelt cayman, but the black caiman is the largest and can grow to lengths of 15 ft (4.5m).

At one time this animal was very numerous but was hunted almost to the point of extinction for its valuable hide. The darker color of the black caiman absorbs heat as well as providing camouflage while this deadly carnivore is hunting.

The other options are all smaller lizards found in the rainforests who are all fighting their own wars against loss of habitat.

Answer: Leaves

A folivore is an herbivore that gets most of its nutrition from leaves. All varieties of sloth fall into this category. They supplement this diet with insects, small reptiles and occasionally birds. Some other interesting tidbits about this unique animal is that they poop only once a week in the same spot every time. Sloths are good swimmers even though they are slow lumbering walkers.

They fur is home to multiple non-parasitic insects and their best sense is their sense of smell.

Answer: True

The largest mammal to be found in South America, the tapir is a very unusual animal. While it does look like a pig with a funny slightly elongated nose it is actually more closely related to the horses and rhinoceros. Other than man these herbivorous browsers have only two predators in the wild, both of which are both large crocodilians. Tapirs can be found in many areas of South America and have been known to get as large as 710 lbs (320 kg).

Answer: False

The kinkajou is a small, arboreal mammal that is related to the raccoon. They are widely hunted for their meat and grayish fur. In spite of this, the kinkajou is not endangered at the moment, mostly because they are very adaptable. They can be found in forests with altitudes from sea level up to 8,000 ft (2,500m).

They are omnivores who will eat whatever is available. Even with these adaptations, continued destruction of the South American rainforest has the potential to decimate their populations.

Answer: Bushmaster

The bushmaster is the largest of the snakes known as pit vipers. This venomous snake can grow as long as 12 ft (3.6 m)and has a diet of eggs, rodents, birds, and small mammals. This is a timid, nocturnal snake that bites only when threatened. These innate behaviors tend to keep contact with humans at a minimum, but when contact is made a fatal bite can occur. Loss of habitat is the largest threat to this geometrically colored snake.

Answer: All were rediscovered after being declared extinct

All three of these birds are considered to be "Lazarus species", which means that all were rediscovered after being declared extinct. The Caatinga Woodpecker was declared extinct in 1926 and was rediscovered in Brazil in 2006. The Kinglet Calyptura was declared to be extinct in 1966 before being rediscovered in 1996. Fuertes's Parrot was declared extinct in 1911 and was found to still be living in Colombia in 2003. All three birds are still considered to be critically endangered as are many other forms of South American wildlife.