1. Where are lions still found in the wild?
A. Africa south of the Sahara desert
B. Northwest India
C. Both A and B
From the zoo
C. Both A and B
TOPICS: Today, lions are found in the wild in only two places on earth. Approximately 100,000 lions survive in Africa south of the Sahara desert. Another 300 lions, called Asiatic lions, live in a reserve called Gîr National Park and Lion Sanctuary in northwestern India.
2. Elephants are the largest land animals and are among the oldest. How long does the average elephant live?
A. 100 years
B. 60 years
C. 40 years
D. 20 years
B. 60 years
TOPICS: Highly intelligent and strong, elephants are the largest land animals and are among the longest-lived, with a life expectancy of 60 years or more. Healthy adult elephants have no natural enemies other than humans.
3. Apes are very intelligent primates. How many species of apes are there?
A. 2
B. 13
C. 202
D. 313
B. 13
TOPICS: An ape is any of 13 species that include chimpanzees, gorillas, gibbons, and orangutans. Apes are sometimes mistaken for monkeys, but unlike their smaller primate counterparts, apes do not have a tail and their arms are often longer than their legs. Apes live in tropical forests and forests of Africa and Asia.
4. Hippos are often called river horses for what characteristic?
A. They are horses that only graze with a river in sight
B. They are horses that choose to spend most of their days in the water.
C. They can breathe underwater thanks to the gills behind their ears.
D. Their noses have special fins that close when submerged
D. Their noses have special fins that close when submerged
TOPICS: Hippos actually look more like pigs than horses. They have large heads with small eyes and small ears; Their nostrils, surrounded by scattered and bristling hairs, are equipped with special fins that close when the animal submerges.
5. Great apes have well-developed brains and are among the most intelligent of all animals. What trait do they show that we think only humans possess?
A. Creating Haiku poetry
B. Preparation of alcoholic beverages
C. Space travel
D. Tool making
D. Tool making
TOPICS: In the wild, chimpanzees and orangutans are known to make simple tools, such as sharp sticks that are used to extract insects from holes in tree trunks. Tool making involves a preconceived image of what the tool will look like, a visualization ability that is only possible with an advanced brain. Orangutans have even been observed untying knots, working out the steps necessary to accomplish this complex task themselves.
6. Which zebra trait is NOT true?
A. Zebras can recognize other zebras by the pattern of stripes on their bodies.
B. Mountain zebras bathe in dust almost every day.
C. Grevy’s zebra and mountain zebra are endangered due to illegal hunting and habitat destruction.
D. Bigger than a horse
D. Bigger than a horse
TOPICS: Zebra, striped mammal native to Africa, smaller in size than the related horse and very much like the wild ass in habit and shape, with a short, erect mane, large ears, and a tufted tail. The stripes, which distinguish this animal from other members of the horse family, serve as a protective dye in its natural habitat.
7. Despite their immense strength, lions do not have an easy life in the wild. They suffer from parasites and disease, are injured or even killed while hunting or fighting each other, and can starve when food is scarce. How many puppies die before they are 1 year old?
A. One quarter
B. Two thirds
C. Half
D. Almost all
B. Two thirds
TOPICS: About two-thirds of all puppies die before their 1st birthday. Adult males are usually old and abused by 10 years, if they survive that long, and they rarely live longer than 12 years. Females can live longer, up to 16 years, and some still reproduce at 15. In zoos, where they receive veterinary care and plenty of food, and are not allowed to fight, lions can live up to 25 years.
8. Do the fossils of elephants’ ancestors indicate that they once lived on which continents?
A. Africa and Asia only
B. Australia and Antarctica
C. All except Australia and Antarctica
D. Europe and the Americas
C. All except Australia and Antarctica
TOPICS: Fossils of elephants’ ancestors indicate that they once lived on every continent except Australia and Antarctica, but elephant habitat today is restricted to Africa and parts of Southeast Asia. Elephants occupy a variety of environments in Africa and Southeast Asia: grasslands, swamps, forests, deserts, and mountains. They are herbivores or herbivores and need large amounts of food to maintain their enormous size. They also need plenty of clean water and are therefore restricted to areas with abundant vegetation and adequate water.