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The Animal Kingdom
The animal kingdom is full of superlatives and surprises. Ten questions spanning the fastest, the largest and the strangest — with the why behind each.
About this topic
The animal kingdom is stranger and more varied than any story could invent, from creatures that outweigh a bus to ones you need a microscope to see. This quiz travels across the branches of animal life, asking about the records, the oddities, and the everyday facts people usually get wrong. Each answer is explained so you come away understanding the why, not just the what, whether it is how an animal survives an extreme habitat or why one group is far larger than it looks. It is a quick, curious tour through the living world we share the planet with.
Questions & answers
The Animal Kingdom: all 10 questions and answers
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
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1What is the largest animal ever known to have lived?
- A The whale shark
- B The African elephant
- C The blue whale Correct
- D A brachiosaurus
Answer: C. The blue whale
Why: The blue whale can reach 30 m and 150 tonnes — larger than any dinosaur that ever lived.
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2Which is the fastest land animal?
- A The pronghorn
- B The cheetah Correct
- C The lion
- D The greyhound
Answer: B. The cheetah
Why: The cheetah can sprint at over 100 km/h in short bursts, though only for a few hundred metres.
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3How many hearts does an octopus have?
- A Two
- B Three Correct
- C Four
- D One
Answer: B. Three
Why: An octopus has three hearts: two pump blood through the gills and one to the rest of the body.
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4Which is the only mammal capable of true, sustained flight?
- A The colugo
- B The sugar glider
- C The flying squirrel
- D The bat Correct
Answer: D. The bat
Why: Bats fly using membranes stretched over their elongated finger bones; "flying" squirrels only glide.
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5What is a family group of lions called?
- A A troop
- B A pack
- C A pride Correct
- D A herd
Answer: C. A pride
Why: A pride is a group of related lionesses, their cubs and a small number of males.
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6Which is the largest bird that cannot fly?
- A The emu
- B The ostrich Correct
- C The penguin
- D The cassowary
Answer: B. The ostrich
Why: The ostrich can stand 2.7 m tall and run at up to 70 km/h — the largest and fastest-running bird.
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7How many legs does an insect have?
- A Eight
- B Four
- C Ten
- D Six Correct
Answer: D. Six
Why: All insects have six legs. Spiders, with eight, are arachnids — not insects.
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8What do you call an animal that eats only plants?
- A An omnivore
- B A scavenger
- C A carnivore
- D A herbivore Correct
Answer: D. A herbivore
Why: Herbivores, such as cows, deer and rabbits, feed only on plant material.
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9Which is the largest living reptile?
- A The giant tortoise
- B The Komodo dragon
- C The saltwater crocodile Correct
- D The green anaconda
Answer: C. The saltwater crocodile
Why: The saltwater crocodile can exceed 6 m and is found from India across Southeast Asia to northern Australia.
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10A caterpillar transforms into a butterfly through which process?
- A Hibernation
- B Metamorphosis Correct
- C Regeneration
- D Migration
Answer: B. Metamorphosis
Why: Metamorphosis is the dramatic change from larva to adult; inside the chrysalis the caterpillar's body is largely rebuilt.
Frequently asked questions about The Animal Kingdom
How many questions are in The Animal Kingdom?
The Animal Kingdom has 10 questions and takes about 8 minutes to finish. It is rated Medium and sits in our Science & Nature category.
How is The Animal Kingdom scored?
Each of the 10 correct answers adds 10 XP, up to 100 XP for a clean run. Wrong answers cost you nothing, and your full question-by-question review is shown at the end.
Are the answers to The Animal Kingdom explained?
Yes. All 10 questions carry a written explanation of why the correct answer is right, so the quiz works as a study sheet as well as a test.
Can I replay The Animal Kingdom?
Yes, as often as you like. The questions and the answer options are reshuffled on each run, and you can use Practice Mistakes afterwards to retry only the ones you missed. No account is needed to play.
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