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