A
Why do squirrels have bushy tails?
To keep them warm, to help them balance, and to communicate with each other.
B
To protect them from heavy snowfall or rain.
The correct answer is
AThe tail performs three main functions: it keeps squirrels warm like a blanket, it is a means of communication with others, and it helps squirrels maintain their balance when they jump from one branch to another.
This answer is worth 1 POINT
Why do beavers make dams?
A
Because they are playful animals and get bored very easily.
B
To build dens that are protected from predators.
The correct answer is
BBy wedging together tree branches, beavers build dams to block the flow of small rivers, creating lakes. At the center of the lake, they build their lair, inside which they can live more peacefully, protected from wolves, coyotes, and pumas, who cannot reach them there.
AB
Why do tigers have striped fur?
So they can hide in the jungle and surprise prey. It distinguishes them from panthers.
The correct answer is
BTo hide in the jungle. The sun’s rays filtering through the leaves create stripes of shadow similar to those of the tiger’s coat.
answer is worth 3 POINTS
Why does the lynx have long and sturdy hind legs?
A
So that it can leap while hunting.
B
So that it can run as fast as possible.
The correct answer is
The body of the lynx may appear a bit asymmetrical; the front legs are shorter and almost disproportionate compared to the hind legs, which are much longer and stronger. This characteristic is typical of animals that are good at jumping, which the lynx does to pounce on its prey.
This answer is worth 2 POINTS
AWhy do female kangaroos have a pouch?
To carry their joeys until they are ten months old.
B
To store the food they find.
The correct answer is
AThe pouch is a fold of skin that only females have. Inside the pouch, joeys are protected and can nurse from their mothers. They are very small at birth (just a few inches) and will remain inside the pouch until they reach around 10 months old.
This answer is worth 2 POINTS
Why do swallows migrate?
ABecause they get tired of living in the same place all the time.
B
Because they go where they can find the most food.
The correct answer is
BIn spring, swallows move to the Northern Hemisphere because they find many insects to eat and there are few predators for their young ones. When winter arrives and the insects hibernate, they move south to the warm African savanna to avoid starving.
This answer is worth 1 POINT
AWhy do horses sleep standing up?
They can’t lie down because of the shape of their hooves.
B
So that they are always ready to run away.
The correct answer is
BSleeping standing up allows horses to be ready to escape in case of danger!
Horses are able to sleep standing up thanks to tendons and ligaments that lock the major joints of their legs. This way the animal relaxes without worrying about falling over.
This answer is worth 2 POINTS
Why does the hermit crab live in a shell?
AB
So that it always has a supply of the food it eats, by hiding it in the shell. To protect its soft abdomen.
The correct answer is
The abdomen of the hermit crab is soft and delicate and therefore needs protection. For this reason, the crab looks for an empty shell and occupies it by slipping inside, leaving its claws exposed. It then wanders with the shell on its back, ready to change it when it gets too small.
This answer is worth 2 POINTS
How did the hammerhead shark get its name?
AB
Because it catches its prey after hitting it with its tail.
Because of the unusual shape of its head.
The correct answer is
BThe name of this shark, with its eyes widely spaced and capable of seeing everything that happens around it, clearly derives from the curious shape of its head, which recalls the shape of a hammer. Its large head allows us to recognize the shark immediately.
This answer is worth 2 POINTS
Why does the arctic fox have a very bushy tail?
AB
To protect itself from the cold and to camouflage itself.
To sweep the surface of the snow in search of food.
The correct answer is
The arctic fox has to come up with many ways to protect itself from the cold. The thick white tail is very useful for hiding when it sleeps in the snow because it wraps around the body, covering the eyes and black nose. Plus, it also works as a warm blanket.
This answer is worth 2 POINTS
Why is the snow owl white?
A
B
So that it can recognize owls of the same species when flying at night.
To blend in with the snowy landscape.
The correct answer is
BWhite is a camouflage color that allows the owl to hide in its environment—the polar ice and the tundra—where everything is covered by snow for many months. In reality, only the male is completely white; the female always has a few brown feathers.
This answer is worth 2 POINTS