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