Cactus & Wildlife Trivia: Can You Pass?
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?
1. 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.
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. 🙂
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. 😉
I just took it again and STILL missed #3. *bangs head on desk*
Sara, I’m sure the third time is a charm. 🙂
baahaha… post it again in a year and we’ll see what happens. 😀
My brain does not want #3 to STICK. Maybe the 4th time’s the charm…. :p
I was wondering if you were going to get it!
Apparently not. I might have to move to Wyoming. 😀
# got me. I have lived here all my life and never heard of that one. I was sure it was gila monster. and #15