Animal Magic—Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Hippopotimus cow and calf.
Image Wikipedia

One

Answer: True

In 1910, the US Congress considered importing hippopotamuses from Africa to address a national meat crisis caused by corporate beef monopolies and rising prices. The proposal, which involved free-ranging hippos in Louisiana, was ultimately rejected.


Asian palm civet, which is the source of Kopi luwak.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Answer: False

Kopi luwak, or civet coffee, is made from coffee cherries eaten and defecated by Asian palm civets in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia. However, lemurs are endemic to Madagascar.
Civets have been subjected to intensive farming, where cages and battery farming methods, including force feeding, have been used.


Camels in Texas, by Thomas Lovell, courtesy of the Abell-Hanger Foundation and the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Library and Hall of Fame of Midland, Texas.
Image The Army Historical Foundation

Three

Answer: True

In the 1830s, the US Army struggled with westward expansion due to challenging terrain. In 1855, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis funded an experiment to import camels for military use, led by Major Henry C. Wayne. The expedition brought 33 camels from the Mediterranean to Texas, where they demonstrated superior carrying capacity, speed, and endurance over horses and mules. Despite initial skepticism about their temperament and odour, camels adapted well to the Southwest’s harsh conditions. Although successful, Congress denied further funding, and the Civil War ended the experiment. The camels were sold at auction, eventually being released into the wild.


Dung beetle rolls the ball of dung with its hind legs.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Answer: True

African dung beetles can orient themselves to the bright stripe of light generated by our galaxy, and move in a line relative to it. This was witnessed during experiments in South Africa.


A raft of sea otters.
Chillin’ by Ray Bulson.
Image Pinterest

Five

Answer: True

Sea otters, once hunted extensively for their fur, saw their population drop to 1,000–2,000 individuals. Conservation efforts, including an international hunting ban and reintroduction programs, have helped their numbers rebound, allowing them to occupy about two-thirds of their former range. Despite these successes, sea otters remain endangered due to recent regional declines. They often gather in large groups called rafts while resting on their backs.

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Author: Scott F

As a retired trivia writer, editor and quiz compiler, I wholeheartedly agree with Bertrand Russell’s quote: “There’s much pleasure to be gained in useless knowledge.” Trivia of all sorts has always fascinated me, and for many years, I’ve written and compiled trivia for various media, including traditional TV and radio quiz shows, newspapers and magazines, apps, and other digital platforms.

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