Parading Elephants Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ears

The ears of an African elephant tend to be much larger, starting higher and stretching up and over the neck before rounding down and outwards, but Asian elephant ears tend to be smaller. While it's not definitive proof, it's certainly the only one of the options that leads to a bit more insight as to where your elephant comes from. With the tusks, while African elephants typically have tusks (and Asian ones only occasionally do-- only in males), tusk removal and gender make this method shaky at best.

Unfortunately, airspeed velocity works best for judging swallows.

Answer: The Lion King

An elephant graveyard appears early on in the 1994 film "The Lion King" when Simba and Nala end up stumbling into a dreary field of bones. There, they're pursued by Scar's three hench-hyenas-- Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed-- and saved by Mufasa. The idea of an elephant graveyard is based on a real belief that elephants, when they are ready to die, will head to said graveyard to pass on, away from the rest of the herd.

The truth is that there's no real evidence that such a tradition exists amongst elephants anywhere in the world.

Answer: Hannibal Barca

Hannibal's route took him from Cartagena, Spain, through the Pyrenees, and over the Alps to Italy and, surprisingly, this was done with thirty-eight elephants alongside his infantry and cavalry. Elephants, of course, are generally not known as European or Alpine creatures.

He never ended up taking Rome in his conquest, but he did make it to Carthage in the end, crossing the Mediterranean. The elephants didn't; they either died of the cold or due to sickness, likely from the conditions.

Answer: Raffi Cavoukian

Canadians watching television in the 1980s and 1990s may remember these folk entertainers who, along with Elephant (an elephant, just to clarify), would go about their daily lives and take adventures depending on the episode. The show was also notable for its ending theme song, "Skidamarink".

"Skidamarink a-dink, a-dink,
Skidamarink a-doo,
I love you.
I love you in the morning,
And in the afternoon;
I love you in the evening,
And underneath the moon."

Children's entertainer Raffi was also popular around this time for his children's songs; he would become a member of the Order of Canada for his work in the industry.

Answer: The White Stripes

"Elephant" was one of a number of critically-acclaimed records for Jack and Meg White (The White Stripes) before their inevitable dissolution in 2011. Featuring the classic riff of "Seven Nation Army" and the memorable beat and music video for "The Hardest Button to Button", it would be one of their most celebrated releases, especially at a time when indie alternative rock was just burgeoning.

The album won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album (as did their next two). Jack White went on to form several other bands after The White Stripes ended and he founded Third Man Records.

Answer: An infectious disease cause by parasites

Also known as lymphatic filariasis, this disease tends to cause severe swelling in the extremities and is caused by mosquito bites borne with the worms. Usually only found in hot or tropical regions, this disease can be quite debilitating if it spreads since it usually affects the lower half of the body. To get rid of the disease, many nations have made attempts to wipe out the worms with deworming medicines and antibiotics (though at great cost).

The name 'Elephantiasis', of course, comes from the general size of an elephant.

Answer: Barnum & Bailey Circus

Although Jumbo, the 3.2 metre-tall elephant, appeared in exhibitions in Paris and London (after being extracted from Sudan in the 1860s), it wasn't until he was purchased by circus owner P. T. Barnum that he found his spotlight in the United States, riding the rails as part of Barnum's traveling act. Jumbo the Elephant died in 1885 when he was hit by a train in St. Thomas, Ontario, a couple hours southwest of Toronto.

A statue was erected in the town, but Jumbo's skeleton went to a permanent home in the Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Answer: United States

Elephant Rocks State Park can be found in the state of Missouri, and the rocks there are actually granite deposited at the site in the St. Francois Mountains, part of the Ozarks, during the precambrian period several hundreds of millions of years ago. Surprisingly, it's not the only place in the world to have the name 'Elephant Rocks'-- there's an Elephant Rock in Sri Lanka, an arch in Nevada by the name, an archipelago using the name in Antarctica, and a formation of limestone rocks in New Zealand using it as well.

Answer: Chris Martin

One of the singles from the band's fifth album, "Mylo Xyloto", "Paradise" quickly became a colourful concert-staple because of its simple, stadium-pleasing chorus. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and topped two of the eight Billboard charts it appeared on.

It was, far and away, the top single from the album. The music video featured Chris Martin dressed in a cheap elephant costume, flying from London to South Africa where, after earning a bit of money busking, he rode a unicycle into the veld to perform with the rest of the band-- also elephants.

Answer: yes

Both the novel and the 2011 film adaptation of the book are set in circuses with several famous ones (including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and Circus Vargas) making appearances. Though the tale tells of a love story between two people in the traveling circus and much of the tale surrounds a new elephant added to the act (named Rosie).

The lead roles in the film were filled by Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson. The novel is also notable for being written as part of a NaNoWriMo contribution.