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River Otter - Quiz
Contributed by: Hale
  • 1. What is the scientific name for the North American river otter?
A) Otterus riverinus
B) Lontra canadensis
C) Aqua otterus
D) Riverus americensis
  • 2. How many species of river otters are there?
A) 8
B) 27
C) 13
D) 5
  • 3. What is the average lifespan of a river otter in the wild?
A) 10-15 years
B) Less than 1 year
C) 20-25 years
D) 2-4 years
  • 4. What is a group of river otters called?
A) A romp
B) A herd
C) A flock
D) A school
  • 5. How do river otters hunt for food?
A) They dive underwater to catch prey
B) They climb trees to catch birds
C) They use traps
D) They beg for food from humans
  • 6. What family do river otters belong to?
A) Felidae
B) Canidae
C) Mustelidae
D) Ursidae
  • 7. Do river otters have a strong sense of smell?
A) No
B) Yes
C) It depends on the weather
D) Only on weekends
  • 8. How do river otters groom themselves?
A) By licking their fur
B) By rolling in mud
C) By using hairbrushes
D) By taking dust baths
  • 9. Do river otters hibernate?
A) No
B) Yes, for several months
C) Only if it's a leap year
D) They hibernate underwater
  • 10. What is the conservation status of the North American river otter?
A) Critically Endangered
B) Endangered
C) Least Concern
D) Vulnerable
  • 11. What is the role of river otters in their ecosystem?
A) They are scavengers
B) They are known for their singing abilities
C) They help maintain the balance of fish populations
D) They are predators of birds
  • 12. What adaptation allows river otters to swim gracefully underwater?
A) Webbed feet
B) Blubber layer
C) Striped fur
D) Sharp claws
  • 13. Which of these senses is highly developed in river otters?
A) Sight
B) Smell
C) Hearing
D) Taste
  • 14. During which time of day are river otters most active?
A) Midnight
B) Noon
C) Afternoon
D) Dawn and dusk
  • 15. In which epoch did the river otter and the giant otter of South America diverge?
A) Pliocene epoch
B) Oligocene epoch
C) Eocene epoch
D) Miocene epoch
  • 16. What type of ecosystems do North American river otters typically establish their dens in?
A) River, lake, swamp, coastal shoreline, tidal flat, or estuary
B) Mountainous areas
C) Urban environments
D) Desert and arid regions
  • 17. What is a significant factor contributing to the decline of North American river otter populations?
A) Natural predators
B) Climate change
C) Environmental pollution
D) Overhunting by humans
  • 18. When did fossils of a giant otter dating back 3.5 million years ago appear in the US Midwest?
A) During the Eocene epoch
B) During the Pliocene epoch
C) During the Miocene epoch
D) During the Oligocene epoch
  • 19. How did New World river otters originate?
A) Via migration through Europe
B) Directly from South America
C) From Old World river otters via the Bering Land Bridge
D) Through evolution in North America
  • 20. Who first described the North American river otter?
A) Carl Linnaeus
B) Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber
C) George Cuvier
D) Charles Darwin
  • 21. Under which appendix is Lontra canadensis listed by CITES?
A) Appendix III
B) Appendix I
C) Appendix II
D) Not listed
  • 22. Which subspecies of North American river otter is found on the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia?
A) L. c. pacifica (J. A. Allen, 1898)
B) L. c. sonora (Rhoads, 1898)
C) L. c. canadensis (Schreber, 1777)
D) L. c. periclyzomae (Elliot, 1905)
  • 23. What percentage of summer spraints in Georgia contained remnants of crayfish?
A) 50%
B) 75%
C) 85%
D) 98%
  • 24. In which part of the United States are North American river otters still rare or absent?
A) Southwestern United States
B) Northeastern United States
C) Midwestern United States
D) Northwestern United States
  • 25. What type of prey do North American river otters avoid consuming?
A) Amphibians
B) Fish
C) Carrion
D) Reptiles
  • 26. In which state did crayfish account for two-thirds of the North American river otter's summer diet?
A) Arkansas
B) Georgia
C) Texas
D) California
  • 27. In which season do North American river otters consume more aquatic insects?
A) Fall
B) Summer
C) Winter
D) Spring
  • 28. Which subspecies of North American river otter is found in central California?
A) L. c. pacifica (J. A. Allen, 1898)
B) L. c. periclyzomae (Elliot, 1905)
C) L. c. mira (Goldman, 1935)
D) L. c. canadensis (Schreber, 1777)
  • 29. What does Appendix II of CITES indicate about a species?
A) Species have stable populations without any risk.
B) Species are extinct in the wild.
C) Species are critically endangered and need immediate protection.
D) Species not necessarily threatened with extinction but may become so unless trade is controlled.
  • 30. What is the average weight of an adult male North American river otter?
A) 11.3 kilograms (25 lb)
B) 8.3 kg (18 lb)
C) 20 kg (44 lb)
D) 15 kg (33 lb)
  • 31. Which order of aquatic invertebrates does NOT form a significant part of the North American river otter's diet?
A) Hemiptera (true bugs)
B) Coleoptera (adult beetles)
C) Odonata (dragonfly nymphs)
D) Plecoptera (stonefly nymphs)
  • 32. Which prey do North American river otters sometimes consume more than fish, depending on regional availability?
A) Crustaceans (crayfish)
B) Small mammals
C) Aquatic plants
D) Birds
  • 33. Which family of fish do North American river otters prefer in Colorado's Upper Colorado River Basin?
A) Cyprinidae (carp and daces)
B) Catostomidae (suckers)
C) Ictaluridae (bullheads and catfish)
D) Salmonidae (trout)
  • 34. What percentage of North American river otter scat samples in an Alberta study contained fish remnants?
A) 50%
B) 91.9%
C) 60%
D) 75%
  • 35. Which terrestrial predator of the North American river otter is known to coexist with it?
A) Red fox
B) American alligator
C) Killer whale
D) American crocodile
  • 36. Which large animal's remains have been found in North American river otter scat, despite not being a regular part of their diet?
A) Ducks
B) Mollusks
C) Common snapping turtle
D) North American beaver
  • 37. Which specific species of amphibian is included in the North American river otter's diet?
A) Boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata)
B) Northwestern salamanders
C) American bullfrogs
D) Green frogs
  • 38. What is the average weight of an adult female North American river otter?
A) 11.3 kilograms (25 lb)
B) 15 kg (33 lb)
C) 8.3 kg (18 lb)
D) 20 kg (44 lb)
  • 39. What distinguishes North American river otters from Eurasian otters in terms of reproduction?
A) Lack of parental care
B) Delayed implantation
C) Higher litter size
D) Shorter gestation period
  • 40. Which reptile is part of the North American river otter's diet?
A) Garter snakes (Thamnophis)
B) California giant salamander
C) Northwestern salamanders
D) Rough-skinned newt
  • 41. What has been particularly valuable in restoring river otter populations?
A) Introduction of invasive species
B) Culling of predators
C) Reintroduction projects
D) Urban development
  • 42. How much of the North American river otter's total length is made up by its tail?
A) Two-thirds
B) One-fourth
C) Half
D) About one-third
  • 43. How many specialized teeth do North American river otters have?
A) 30
B) 36
C) 28
D) 42
  • 44. What type of birds are most vulnerable to North American river otters during summer?
A) Birds in flight
B) Colonial nesting birds
C) Waterfowl broods
D) Rails
  • 45. What year did wildlife management agencies begin reintroduction projects for North American river otters?
A) 1994
B) 1980
C) 2000
D) 1976
  • 46. Which bird species is not mentioned as part of the North American river otter's diet?
A) Peregrine falcon
B) Northern pintail
C) Canvasback
D) Mallard
  • 47. Which subspecies of North American river otter is found in Mexico?
A) L. c. kodiacensis (Goldman, 1935)
B) L. c. pacifica (J. A. Allen, 1898)
C) L. c. canadensis (Schreber, 1777)
D) L. c. sonora (Rhoads, 1898)
  • 48. In which region did a study find crayfish forming nearly 100% of the river otter's diet at certain times?
A) Central California marshland
B) Northwest Territories
C) Western Oregon
D) Alberta, Canada
  • 49. Which subspecies of North American river otter is found on Kodiak Island, Alaska?
A) L. c. kodiacensis (Goldman, 1935)
B) L. c. sonora (Rhoads, 1898)
C) L. c. canadensis (Schreber, 1777)
D) L. c. lataxina (Cuvier, 1823)
  • 50. What is the maximum weight that large male North American river otters can exceed?
A) 8.3 kg (18 lb)
B) 11.3 kilograms (25 lb)
C) 15 kg (33 lb)
D) 20 kg (44 lb)
  • 51. In which Canadian province were North American river otters recently re-establishing themselves?
A) British Columbia.
B) Ontario.
C) Quebec.
D) Prince Edward Island.
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