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Natural Surroundings
Home›Natural Surroundings›Cactus & Wildlife Trivia: Can You Pass?

Cactus & Wildlife Trivia: Can You Pass?

By Andrea Aker
December 21, 2010
3978
9

Test your knowledge of cactus and wildlife of Arizona with this short quiz, originally published in Marshall Trimble’s Official Arizona Trivia. Don’t scroll down too quickly. The answers are posted shortly below the questions. When you’re finished, leave a comment with your score. Did any answers surprise you?

Saguaro 11.  What bird ranching industry was established in Phoenix and Yuma in the late 1800s?

2.  Name the largest type of cactus in the world that is found in Arizona.

3.  Name the official state reptile.

4.  What dove is “sorrowful’?

5.  What deadly spider is characterized by a violin-shaped spot on the upper side of it’s head?

6.   Name the state flower of Arizona.

7.  What light-colored tree resembling a birch and nicknamed “quaking” is found in Arizona?

8.   Why does a typical cactus have fluted (accordion-like) sur­faces?

9.   What wild pig-like critter resembling a small razorback is found in Arizona?

10.  What cactus resembles “Mickey Mouse” ears?

11.  What group of cacti does the “jumping cactus” belong to?

12.  Name Arizona’s largest game bird.

13.  How can one best judge the age of a Saguaro cactus?

14.  What is the common name for Cereus giganteus?

15.  Which of the 30 species and subspecies of rattlesnakes is the most dangerous?

Answers below…

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1.       Ostrich (their feathers were in great demand)

2.       Saguaro

3.       Ridge-nosed rattlesnake

4.       Mourning dove

5.       Brown Recluse

6.       Saguaro cactus blossom

7.       Aspen

8.       To expand to hold and then gradually release water

9.       Javelina (Have-a-lee-na)

10.   Prickly Pear

11.   Cholla

12.   Wild turkey

13.   By its height

14.   Saguaro cactus

15.   The Mohave rattlesnake. Its venom also attacks the neuro-system much like the cobra snake.

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Related Posts:

  1. Cactus & Wildlife Trivia 2: Can You Pass?
  2. Why Don’t Cactus Wrens Impale Themselves?
  3. General Arizona Trivia: Can You Pass?
  4. Arizona History Trivia 2: Can You Pass?
  5. Arizona Geography Trivia: Can You Pass?
Tagscactustriviawildlife

9 comments

  1. TerryR 1 January, 2011 at 14:39 Reply

    Oooh. The wild turkey and ridge-nosed rattlesnake threw me! I thought the answers were “Gambles Quail” and “Gila Monster.” It’s been a long time since my 3rd grade social studies unit on Arizona. 🙂

  2. SaraD 19 December, 2011 at 06:50 Reply

    Missed 2. #3 got me. Have lived here 50 years but never seen one. (It’s endangered and protected, I know.) #13 also got me. I’ve always heard that a saguaro that hasn’t yet developed arms is “young”, so expected that to be the age gauge. 😉

  3. SaraD 27 June, 2013 at 08:49 Reply

    I just took it again and STILL missed #3. *bangs head on desk*

  4. Andrea Aker 27 June, 2013 at 09:34 Reply

    Sara, I’m sure the third time is a charm. 🙂

    • SaraD 27 June, 2013 at 11:31 Reply

      baahaha… post it again in a year and we’ll see what happens. 😀

    • SaraD 22 December, 2014 at 09:14 Reply

      My brain does not want #3 to STICK. Maybe the 4th time’s the charm…. :p

      • Andrea Aker 22 December, 2014 at 20:33 Reply

        I was wondering if you were going to get it!

        • SaraD 24 December, 2014 at 07:02 Reply

          Apparently not. I might have to move to Wyoming. 😀

  5. Barbara N 27 December, 2013 at 09:02 Reply

    # got me. I have lived here all my life and never heard of that one. I was sure it was gila monster. and #15

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