Animals and others

Canada's Most Iconic Animals

100

Known for their productivity  and the vital role they play in maintaining the health of freshwater ecosystems, they have earned the moniker “nature’s engineer.”

What is a beaver (we say busy as a beaver for a reason)

200

Their scientific name, Ursus maritimus, means “sea bear,”

What is a polar bear. At least two-thirds of the world’s polar bears live on Canadian territory, giving us a special relationship with — and responsibility for — these bears. “sea bear,” is an apt description for this majestic species which spends much of its life in, around or on the ocean, using sea ice as a hunting platform. As our planet warms and that sea ice melts, polar bear populations are increasingly at risk. It also forces them to spend more time on land, bringing them into greater conflict with people in the Arctic. As well as reaching speeds of up to 6mph in the water, polar bears can swim for long distances and steadily for many hours to get from one piece of ice to another. Their large paws are specially adapted for swimming, which they'll use to paddle through the water while holding their hind legs flat like a rudder

300

The provincial bird of Newfoundland (with a bill appears large and colorful during the breeding season)

What is the Atlantic puffin is the provincial bird of Newfoundland and only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean. In the spring and summer, they gather in huge colonies on the coasts and islands to breed. Puffins are excellent swimmers and spend much of their lives at sea. Like humpback and fin whales and Atlantic cod, they depend on small forage fish for food and will dive as deep as 60 metres underwater to catch them.

400

You will see this on our 25-cent coin

What is the caribou - one of Canada’s most recognizable species, inhabiting the Arctic, boreal and mountain regions. The at-risk woodland caribou that live in Canada’s southern boreal forests are depicted on our 25-cent coin, while the smaller, scrappier barren-ground caribou that roam the Arctic are also experiencing dramatic declines. Barren-ground caribou have critically provided food, clothing and cultural identity to Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. Today, their numbers have dropped by more than 90 per cent for many herds.

500

With paws likened to snowshoes, these animals have small heads, tufted ears, heavy bodies, long legs and short tails.

What is the Canada lynx  - expertly hunts in the snow and feeds on hares, ducks and young deer. This quiet hunter is also known to climb trees and can swim to swiftly catch fish. The Canada lynx ranges in size from about the same as a domestic cat to six times larger. It is one of three lynx species in the world – Lynx canadensis (Canadian lynx), Lynx lynx (Eurasian lynx) and Lynx pardinus (Iberian lynx) – all of which have small heads, tufted ears, heavy bodies, long legs and short tails.

Insects

100

Canada’s most recognizable butterfly species

What is the Monarch butterfly. A group of monarch butterflies is called a flutter.

200

Most of these undergo metamorphosis

What are insects - Examples of insects are dragonflies, flies, fleas, butterflies, moths, cicadas, beetles, bees, ants, and wasps.

300

The name for a group of butterflies

What is a kaleidoscope. A group of butterflies is officially called a kaleidoscope. Isn't that fun? 

Butterflies flying in a group are often referred to as a kaleidoscope, due to their many beautiful colors. However, this is not a universal name, and they are also referred to as a swarm or a rabble or flutter

400

They can fly forward, backward, and upside-down. They can also hover and pivot in place.

What is a dragonfly

500

Unlike many common garden insects, these insects are are carnivores

What are dragonflies - they feed on other creatures. They feed on insects, fish, tadpoles, and other tiny creatures during the different stages of its life. As a nymph, it feeds on mosquito larvae, other aquatic insects, tadpoles, tiny fish, and other aquatic creatures. Adult dragonflies feed on insects caught in the air. They eat mosquitoes, biting flies, mayflies, and other insects.

Birds

100

This is the name for a flock of swimming ducks

What is a paddling

200

The largest living bird

What is an ostrich. Male ostriches can grow to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall and weigh up to 280 pounds (127 kg), and females can grow to be as tall as 6 feet (1.8 meters) and weigh up to 200 pounds (90 kg). 

300

The only birds that can fly backward

What are Hummingbirds. They can even fly upside down!

400

There are roughly this many feathers in a peacock’s tail - think big ~ but not too big

What is 200 on average. The peacock tail feathers are sometimes called decorative or ornamental feathers but most people refer to them simply as the peacock tail feathers, An adult peacock has an average of 200 tail feathers and these are shed and re- grown annually. 

500

This bird has the largest brain-to-body ratio and is known for its capacity to hold a grudge? 

What is the crow

Farm Animals

100

The number of compartments cows have in their stomach

What is Four. The cow’s stomach (or stomachs) allows them to swallow grass, even if it hasn’t been adequately chewed. They store the food in the first two compartments to break it down before regurgitating and rechewing it late. 

• Cows can recognize their names (though they may not come when called!).
• Cows have a memory of about three years.
• Cows are social animals who form bonds with each other. In a herd of cows, many will form cliques together.
• Cows can sense a storm coming and will lie down.

200

 The smartest farm animal

What are  Pigs. Contrary to common beliefs, pigs are not only one of the smartest farm animals, but they are also actually one of the most intelligent animals in the animal kingdom. Pigs are considered the 4th most intelligent animal (after chimpanzees, dolphins, and elephants).They have the intelligence of a 3-year old child and are faster learners than dogs and primates. It’s even a popular household pet. 

• Pigs can run 11 miles per hour – that’s faster than a six minute mile!
• Pigs don’t have sweat glands, so they must roll in mud to stay cool and prevent sunburns.

300

This is the closest living relative to the T-Rex

What is the chicken.  Chickens have over 200 distinct noises they can make for communicating 

400

The first animal to be domesticated, according to many historians

What is Goats -  the first animal to be domesticated, according to many historians.

• A female goat is called a doe.
• Goats are great swimmers.
• Some wild goats can climb trees and can walk along a ledge not much wider than a tightrope.
• The goat is among the cleanest of animals, and is a much more selective feeder than cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and even dogs. Goats do eat many different species of plants, but do not want to eat food that has been contaminated or that has been on the floor or the ground.
• Goats and sheep don’t have teeth on their upper jaw.  They have a hard palate that helps them grind their food.
• Goats are great companions for other farm animals, including horses, cows, and chickens.

500

This baby can identify its mother by her bleat

What is a baby lamb  - can identify its mother by her bleat. Sheep make a bleating sound.

• One mature ewe (female sheep) produces 7 to 10 pounds of newly shorn wool a year – enough to make a man’s suit. 
• Female sheep are called ewes, male sheep are called rams, and baby sheep are called lambs. 
• Sheep have two toes on each foot.

Mammal trivia

100

The only two mammals that lay eggs

What are the duck-billed platypus and the echidna, or spiny anteater. Both of these animals are in Australia.

200

The only mammal that can fly

What is the bat

300

 The only mammals that can’t jump.

What are elephants

400

One of the largest land animals on earth, this mammal can breathe underwater for up to five minutes

What is the Hippopotamus

500

This water loving mammal is known to have the thickest fur

What is the sea otter, it has the thickest fur of any mammal, with up to 1 million hair follicles per square inch.