Did you miss the ultimate trivia showdown on World Elephant Day?
The Elephant Discovery Center hosted Trunk Trivia on August 12, in-person and online, in recognition of World Elephant Day, celebrated each year globally. From obscure elephant biology to conservation, the questions were packed with fun elephant knowledge.
If you missed our Trunk Trivia event in person, don't worry. You can test your knowledge here! Let us know how many questions you get correct (answer key below, but no peeking) by emailing elephant@elephants.com.
(pictured at top: Billie on World Elephant Day)
Trunk Trivia Questions:
1. As a keystone species, elephants have a significant impact on their entire environment. Which of the following statements regarding elephants and their environmental impact is false?
A) They disseminate hundreds of species of plants via their dung.
B) Using their feet and tusks, they create watering holes that are used by many other types of animals.
C) They create pathways and trails in the forests and savannas that are used by other animals for travel and also serve as natural fire breaks.
D) They lay their eggs in the same spot every year, replenishing their population.
2. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), two of the three elephant species are listed as endangered, and one is listed as CRITICALLY endangered. Which is critically endangered?
A) African savanna elephant
B) Asian elephant
C) African forest elephant
3. Which type of animal is more closely related to an elephant?
A) Manatee
B) Hippopotamus
C) Rhinoceros
D) Anteater
4. The number one threat to Asian elephant survival is deforestation caused by the unsustainable farming of:
A) Palm oil
B) Coconut oil
C) Canola oil
5. Over 50% of packaged products in our grocery stores contain palm oil. Which of these everyday products is the least likely to contain palm oil?
A) Shampoo
B) Coffee
C) Margarine
D) Lipstick
6. What Hindu deity, portrayed with a human body and elephant head, is the patron of writers, travelers, students, and commerce, and removes obstacles blocking new projects?
A) Shiva
B) Kali
C) Ganesha
D) Parvati
7. Between the years 2011 and 2014, 100,000 African elephants were poached (illegally hunted and killed), so which elephant body part could be taken and sold?
A) Tusk
B) Skin
C) Hair
D) Trunk
8. Anti-poaching detection dogs, such as the ones used by Working Dogs for Conservation, can be used to sniff out ivory and track illegal activity within protected habitats. Another animal often used in anti-poaching detection is the African giant pouched ____________.
9. Which country has the largest current population of African elephants?
A) Botswana
B) South Africa
C) New Zealand
D) Namibia
10. Which country has the largest current population of Asian elephants?
A) Sri Lanka
B) India
C) Thailand
D) Malaysia
11. The first elephant to be documented in the United States was transported from Calcutta to Salem, MA, aboard a ship to America in what year?
A) 1882
B) 1692
C) 1795
D) 1836
12. At present, how many countries still have populations of non-captive or wild elephants?
ANSWER KEY:
1. Question: As a keystone species, elephants have a significant impact on their entire environment. Which of the following statements regarding elephants and their environmental impact is false?
ANSWER: D) They lay their eggs in the same spot every year, replenishing their population.
Source: https://www.elephants.com
2. Question: According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), two of the three elephant species are listed as endangered, and one is listed as CRITICALLY endangered. Which is critically endangered?
ANSWER: C) African forest elephant
Source: https://www.iucn.org
3. Question: Which type of animal is more closely related to an elephant?
ANSWER: A) Manatee
Source: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/ and https://www.britannica.com
4. Question: The number one threat to Asian elephant survival is deforestation caused by the unsustainable farming of
ANSWER: A) Palm oil
Source: https://rspo.org
5. Question: Over 50% of packaged products in our grocery stores contain palm oil. Which of these everyday products is the least likely to contain palm oil?
ANSWER: B) Coffee
Source: https://www.cmzoo.org
6. What Hindu deity, portrayed with a human body and elephant head, is the patron of writers, travelers, students, and commerce, and removes obstacles blocking new projects.
ANSWER: C) Ganesha
Source: https://wildlifesos.org
7. Question: Between the years 2011 and 2014, 100,000 African elephants were poached (illegally hunted and killed), so which elephant body part could be taken and sold?
ANSWER: A) Tusk
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com
8. Question: Anti-poaching detection dogs, such as the ones used by Working Dogs for Conservation, can be used to sniff out ivory and to track illegal activity within protected habitats. Another animal often used in anti-poaching detection is the African giant pouched _________.
ANSWER: Rat
Source: https://mg.co.za
9. Question: What country has the largest current population of African elephants??
ANSWER: A) Botswana
Source: https://www.worldwildlife.org
10. Which country has the largest current population of Asian elephants?
ANSWER: B) India
Source: https://wildlifesos.org
11. Question: The first elephant to be documented in the United States was transported from Calcutta to Salem, MA, aboard a ship to America in what year?
ANSWER: C) 1795
Source: https://www.naturalhistorymag.com
12. At present, how many countries still have populations of non-captive or wild elephants?
ANSWER: 41
Source: https://www.usatoday.com