Animals Trivia Quiz

Think you know Animals? Here are 50 Animals trivia questions with answers — then play them live against real players in the free Triviarena quiz app.

1. In what color does the Pekingese dog breed come?
   • Light gold
   • White
   • Black
   • All of these
   Answer: All of these
2. How does a platypus locate prey underwater with its eyes, ears, and nostrils closed?
   • By detecting electric currents
   • Using sonar echolocation
   • Sensing water pressure changes
   • Following thermal heat trails
   Answer: By detecting electric currents
   The platypus has electroreceptors in its bill that detect the tiny electric currents generated by the muscle contractions of its prey.
3. This dog breed was developed as a gun dog in Canada?
   • Mountain Cur
   • Pharaoh Hound
   • Lakeland Terrier
   • Labrador Retriever
   Answer: Labrador Retriever
4. What does the word "mosquito" literally translate to in Spanish and Portuguese?
   • Little fly
   • Blood sucker
   • Night pest
   • Tiny needle
   Answer: Little fly
   The word is formed from 'mosca' (fly) and the diminutive suffix '-ito', meaning little fly.
5. These cetaceans live off the southern coast of South America and can be found up to 150 miles (240 km) up the Amazon River. They are colored pale blue with a white underside. What is their name?
   • Tuxici
   • Amazon dolphin
   • South American dolphin
   • Franciscana
   Answer: Tuxici
6. What kind of distinction exists between frogs and toads?
   • Taxonomic
   • Evolutionary
   • Genetic
   • Informal
   Answer: Informal
   The text clarifies that the distinction between frogs and toads is informal and cosmetic, not based on taxonomy or evolutionary history.
7. Box Turtles are solitary creatures who neither want nor need companions.
   • True
   • False
   Answer: True
8. In cetaceans, the species identification “rorqual” comes from the Norwegian word “rorhval” which means “furrow.” These furrows are obvious on all rorqual whales. Which of the following is not a rorqual whale?
   • Beluga whale
   • Sei whale
   • Bryde’s whale
   • Minke whale
   Answer: Beluga whale
9. What type of animal is the smallest vertebrate?
   • Mammals
   • Reptiles
   • Amphibians
   • Fish
   Answer: Fish
10. During the elaborate spring courtship rituals of the sage-grouse, who selects the mating partners?
    • The observing females
    • The dominant males
    • The oldest birds
    • The flock leaders
    Answer: The observing females
    While males perform the strutting displays, it is the observing females who ultimately choose the most attractive males to mate with.
11. What is unique about the reptile called tuatara, which is endemic to New Zealand and is sometimes called living fossils?
    • It has a well-developed third eye.
    • All of these
    • It has two rows of teeth in the upper jaw.
    • It is able to hear though it has no ears.
    Answer: It is able to hear though it has no ears.
12. What is the behavior called when a bird like the cuckoo lays its eggs in another species' nest?
    • Nest hijacking
    • Brood parasitism
    • Avian squatting
    • Clutch adoption
    Answer: Brood parasitism
    Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young, a strategy famously used by many cuckoo species.
13. Which famous fictional pet from the Harry Potter series is a snowy owl?
    • Hedwig
    • Crookshanks
    • Scabbers
    • Fawkes
    Answer: Hedwig
    Harry Potter's loyal pet owl, Hedwig, is a snowy owl, which popularized the species in modern culture.
14. What striking eye color is considered the ideal standard for a Birman cat?
    • Deep sapphire blue
    • Bright emerald green
    • Glowing golden yellow
    • Warm copper orange
    Answer: Deep sapphire blue
    The breed standard for Birman cats requires them to have rounded, deep sapphire blue eyes.
15. Why do modern biologists consider the term "alpha wolf" outdated for wild wolf packs?
    • Packs are actually family units
    • Females exclusively lead the pack
    • Wolves are strictly solitary animals
    • Leadership changes every single month
    Answer: Packs are actually family units
    Wild wolf packs are nuclear families led by parents, not unrelated individuals fighting for dominance.
16. Since electric eels have poor vision, what do they primarily use to navigate and hunt?
    • Electrolocation
    • Echolocation
    • Thermal heat sensing
    • An acute sense of smell
    Answer: Electrolocation
    Electric eels use weak electrical discharges to sense their surroundings and locate prey, a process called electrolocation.
17. In which North American water system are sea lampreys a major invasive pest?
    • The Great Lakes
    • The Everglades
    • The Mississippi River
    • The Gulf of Mexico
    Answer: The Great Lakes
    Sea lampreys gained access to the Great Lakes via canals and have become a severe invasive species that preys on native fish.
18. Which animal holds the title of the largest living primate species?
    • Eastern gorilla
    • Orangutan
    • Chimpanzee
    • Western gorilla
    Answer: Eastern gorilla
    The eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) is a critically endangered species and the largest living primate in the world.
19. What is the literal meaning of the word carnivore which has a Latin origin?
    • Blood drinker
    • Animal killer
    • Meat eater
    • Monster
    Answer: Meat eater
20. Which statement best describes the mating behavior of wild scarlet macaws?
    • They are strictly monogamous
    • Males maintain large harems
    • They change mates every season
    • Females raise chicks entirely alone
    Answer: They are strictly monogamous
    Scarlet macaws mate for life, remaining with a single partner throughout their entire lives.
21. Why do scientists believe the average size of the La Palma giant lizard decreased over millennia?
    • Humans hunted the largest lizards
    • Volcanic ash blocked the sun
    • They evolved to hide in small rocks
    • Their main insect prey went extinct
    Answer: Humans hunted the largest lizards
    Fossil records indicate the species used to be larger, but human hunting likely removed the biggest individuals from the gene pool.
22. During a Russian science mission, a cockroach named Nadezhda made history by doing what?
    • Reproducing in outer space
    • Surviving a nuclear blast
    • Living for over ten years
    • Eating through solid plastic
    Answer: Reproducing in outer space
    Nadezhda was sent into space on a Foton-M mission, where she successfully mated and produced 33 offspring.
23. What is the primary source of a peacock's vibrant iridescent colors?
    • Structural coloration
    • Feather pigments
    • Diet-based chemicals
    • Reflective skin
    Answer: Structural coloration
    The text states that the vibrant colors are not primarily pigments, but are a result of structural coloration.
24. Which external feature do grey seals lack?
    • Large snouts
    • External ears
    • Neck scars
    • Dark spots
    Answer: External ears
25. What is the swarming grasshopper of Africa and the Middle East, behind the Biblical plague?
    • Migratory locust
    • Desert locust
    • Mole cricket
    • Mormon cricket
    Answer: Desert locust
26. Which human disease are nine-banded armadillos famously susceptible to in medical research?
    • Rabies
    • Tuberculosis
    • Leprosy
    • Malaria
    Answer: Leprosy
    They are one of the very few mammals other than humans that can contract leprosy.
27. Which of these animal species is a mammal?
    • Adler
    • Two
    • Crocodile
    • Orca
    Answer: Orca
28. Which famous naturalist studied Galápagos mockingbirds to help form his evolution theory?
    • Louis Pasteur
    • Gregor Mendel
    • Alexander von Humboldt
    • Charles Darwin
    Answer: Charles Darwin
    Charles Darwin observed that mockingbirds differed from island to island in the Galápagos, which inspired his theory of evolution.
29. Which of these is the only octopus species known to be deadly to humans?
    • Giant Pacific octopus
    • Mimic octopus
    • Blue-ringed octopus
    • Veined octopus
    Answer: Blue-ringed octopus
    While all octopuses are venomous, only the blue-ringed octopus possesses venom potent enough to be lethal to humans.
30. What common fruit is often used to describe the distinctive shape of a llama's ears?
    • Apple
    • Banana
    • Pear
    • Mango
    Answer: Banana
    Llamas have long ears that curve slightly inward, giving them a characteristic banana-like shape.
31. Are spotted hyenas considered an endangered species?
    • Yes
    • No
    Answer: No
32. What term is mainly used in literature to refer to a group of crows?
    • A mug
    • A plunder
    • A gaggle
    • A murder
    Answer: A murder
33. What kangaroo species set a record by moving with 64 kilometers per hour (40 mph)?
    • Eastern Grey Kangaroo
    • Great Grey Kangaroo
    • All of these
    • Forester Kangaroo
    Answer: All of these
34. Which of these books about prehistoric animals and dinosaurs was written by Arthur Conan Doyle?
    • Dinosaur Planet
    • Jurassic Park
    • Dinotopia
    • The Lost World
    Answer: The Lost World
35. Which of these coat colors is not found in wild Red Fox populations?
    • Golden
    • Spotted
    • Red
    • Black
    Answer: Black
36. Tigers have one colour of skin despite the stripey fur.
    • False
    • True
    Answer: False
37. How many living species of bears are there?
    • 4
    • 10
    • 6
    • 8
    Answer: 8
38. When anxious, the koala produces a loud sound similar to the cry made by this creature.
    • Baby bear
    • Crow
    • Human baby
    • Rabbit
    Answer: Human baby
39. Female mantes (the plural for mantis) are larger than males.
    • True
    • False
    Answer: True
40. How many stomachs does a starfish have?
    • 1
    • 0
    • 2
    • 5
    Answer: 2
41. What continent does the large Griffon Vulture inhabit?
    • Asia
    • All of these
    • Europe
    • Africa
    Answer: All of these
42. What shape is the carapace of the green sea turtle?
    • Heart-shaped
    • Perfectly round
    • Teardrop-shaped
    • Oval and ridged
    Answer: Teardrop-shaped
    The body of the green sea turtle is covered by a large carapace that is described as being teardrop-shaped.
43. Which of these animals is NOT a lizard?
    • Komodo Dragon
    • Tuatara
    • Green Iguana
    • Gila Monster
    Answer: Tuatara
44. How many horns does the Indian Rhinoceros, found only in Asia, have on its snout?
    • None
    • Two
    • Three
    • One
    Answer: One
45. Dolphins are considered some of the most intelligent animals on the planet. How are they classified according to their diet?
    • They are specialized eaters.
    • They are carnivores.
    • They are herbivores.
    • They are omnivores.
    Answer: They are carnivores.
46. What is the breed of animal created from the crossing of a female lion and a male tiger?
    • Tigen
    • Liger
    • Tigon
    • Liges
    Answer: Tigon
47. What famous beer brand uses the Clydesdale horse as its mascot?
    • Anheuser-Busch
    • Fosters
    • Upland
    • Heineken
    Answer: Anheuser-Busch
48. This cat breed with curly hair appeared as a natural mutation in the United States.
    • Selkirk Rex
    • LaPerm
    • Kurilian Bobtail
    • American Curl
    Answer: LaPerm
49. How long ago did the clownfish lineage diverge from other damselfishes?
    • Around 35 million years ago
    • Around 10.5 million years ago
    • Around 5 million years ago
    • Around 50 million years ago
    Answer: Around 35 million years ago
    The clownfish lineage diverged from that of other living damselfishes around 35 million years ago.
50. Which of these statements concerning the way in which pangolins defend themselves is false?
    • They run away very quickly.
    • They spray a noxious odor like a skunk.
    • They curl up in a ball.
    • They attack by slashing their long claws or whipping their tails.
    Answer: They run away very quickly.