FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Main Index Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Main Index Quizzes, Trivia

Mustelidae-Weasel Family Trivia Questions and Answers

Fun Facts & Interesting Information
Search in topic:
Related Questions & Answers:   Otters    Felidae-Cat Family    Ursidae-Bear Family   

1. What is the scientific name of the honey badger?


Answer: Mellivora capensis

Interesting Information:
The honey badger is the only species in the genus Mellivora, and was once assigned to the badger sub-family Melinae. It has now been observed that they are actually more closely related to the Guloninae family, with their bushy tails, big paws and retractile claws.

Nevertheless, the honey badger has its own sub-family name: Mellivorinae. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: World of the Hell-raising Honey Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
Stenopus hispidus, Podiceps nigricollis, Meles meles

2. What is a skunk's stinky spray composed of?


Answer: Self-made chemicals

Interesting Information:
The spray is produced by their anal glands and, chemically speaking, it's (E)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, 2-quinolinemethanethiol, and their acetate thioesters. The combination of thioacetates and carbon and hydrogen groupings have an extra bonus: when water first hits them, it rearranges them into more a more potent chemical configuration. That's why after being "skunked", hosing down a dog or taking a shower will make the smell worse! However, it will eventually wash off, and with frequent bathing, the smell should be gone in about a week. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: SKUNKS!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Blood, Urine, Spittle

3. Meet Badgie. He is a young badger who doesn't quite understand what to do with his short legs. Whatever should he use them for?


Answer: digging

Interesting Information:
The short legs of badgers are designed to be used in digging. Badgers get most of their food underground so this is very important as it alows them to tunnel quickly after underground rodents. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
fighting dangerous animals, skating around, hopping through forests

4. The honey badger gets its name because it is what?


Answer: Wild about honey

Interesting Information:
The honey badger just loves honey, and can easily rip apart a beehive without any injury as its thick fur prevents it from being stung. Badgers are known for their long lasting underground cavelike dwellings as well, an old one discovered to be over 1,000 feet long.

If anyone is interested in the "Treasure of The Sierra Madre" quote, it follows:
"Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!" This was said to Dobbs {Humphrey Bogart} and his companions by "Gold Hat", leader of the banditos. He was played by Alfonso Bedoya in the 1948 film about greed, distrust and despair. Don't scroll down if you haven't seen the film!

Spoiler:
Just in case anyone has never seen the film, the treasure was in the form of gold dust, and the sandy Sierra Madre gets windy. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: No Stinkin' Badgers!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Monogamous and cuddly, Very sweet , Hums while it hunts

5. The scientific name for the wolverine is Gulo gulo. What does this name mean?


Answer: Gluttonous glutton

Interesting Information:
The wolverine has been known throughout history for gluttony. All members of the weasel family have high metabolisms and thus large appetites. In addition, wolverines were reviled for what was seen as a type of gluttony- urinating on food stores that they appropriated from trappers and others, to mark the food as "theirs." Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Wolverine
 
Some incorrect choices:
A double reference to the light patch on the wolverine's throat (gullet), An onomatopoetic reference to the sound a wolverine makes, Taken from the Gwich'in word for "wolverine"

6. What is the scientific name of the Eurasian badger?


Answer: Meles meles

Interesting Information:
"Meles" is Latin for "badger". Mustela erminea is the stoat, Gulo gulo is the wolverine, and Lutra lutra is the European otter. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Tommy Brock: The Eurasian Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
Mustela erminea, Gulo gulo, Lutra lutra

7. How many species of skunks can be found in North America?


Answer: 4

Interesting Information:
There are four skunk species in North America:
(1)Spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius)
(2)Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
(3)Hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura)
(4)Hognose skunk (Conepatus mesoleucus)

Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Skunks (friend or foe)
 
Some incorrect choices:
2, 6, 3

8. How far away, for most people, is skunk spray detectable to the human nose?


Answer: 3 miles

Interesting Information:
Their spray can be smelled in a concentration as small as 10 parts per billion. In a small town, everybody gets a sniff! Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: SKUNKS!
 
Some incorrect choices:
100 yards, 10 miles, 20 miles

9. "Badger! Badger!" says Badgie crossly. "I'm lost and hungry. Mama Badger is no where to be seen. If I'm to find her I'll have to scent her out". Where is the location of the gland from which a badger's scent is secreted?


Answer: under its tail

Interesting Information:
The scent glands of badgers allow them to produce an unpleasant smell through their anal glands at times when they are threatened or need to warn each other. The gland under the badger's tail exudes a musky smell that is used for scent marking and communicating with each other. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
under its leg, inside the mouth, behind the ears

10. By what other name is the honey badger known?


Answer: Ratel

Interesting Information:
Ratel comes from Afrikaans (for pronouciation and further info: http://mw1.m-w.com/dictionary/ratel). In honour of the fierce animal, "Ratel" is the nickname chosen by the South African army for its common IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle).

The taxonomical name of the honey badger is Mellivora capensis which translates to "honey eater of the cape" (i.e. the Cape of Good Hope).

In Hebrew "dvash" is "honey" (and "girit dvash" is "honey badger") and "parpar" is "butterfly", whereas "monsouk" is a random invention.

For all this, and more, the honey badger receives the Word Wizard badge.
Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Honey Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
Parpar, Dvash, Monsouk

11. What does a wolverine look like?


Answer: About the size of a beagle, with long, dense, brown fur. A tan stripe runs over the shoulders and along the flanks.

Interesting Information:
The wolverine is smaller than most people think, with males averaging 35 pounds. Females are much smaller; on average only half the size of males. In addition to the distinguishing tan stripes, there may be a white spot on the chest. The wolverine also has a short, wide, powerful muzzle and a bushy tail. The human description is of the character Wolverine from "The X-Men" comics and movies. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Wolverine
 
Some incorrect choices:
About the size of a Labrador retriever, with long, dark-brown hair and white spots on the paws and the tip of the tail., About the size of a wolf, with light-brown dense hair tipped with a gold color like a grizzly., Long adamantium claws, slicked-back black hair, fierce scowl on the face...well, not really.

12. What is a baby wolverine called?


Answer: Kit

Interesting Information:
Wolverines reproduce every other year, with a typical litter being of 1-6 kits. Wiffel I made up, I think it has a nice ring to it though. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Wolverines
 
Some incorrect choices:
Codling, Pup, Wiffel

13. The only truly domestic member of family Mustelidae is the domestic ferret. In which state in the US is this animal still listed on the wild animals roster, and hence illegal to own as a pet?


Answer: California

Interesting Information:
The domestic ferret is a subspecies of the European Polecat, Mustela Putorius. No feral populations of the domestic ferret are known to exist in the US. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Weasel Family - Mustelidae
 
Some incorrect choices:
Oklahoma, Florida, Alaska

14. Their spray is a very effective means of defense and they have only one natural predator. What is it?


Answer: Great Horned Owl

Interesting Information:
A wild animal won't attack another skunk after being sprayed once (unless it's incredibly stupid). Surprisingly enough, the great horned owl doesn't seem to be affected by the power of skunk spray. It may be that the owl can silently snatch and kill the skunk before it has time to spray. One study of a GHO's nest resulted in finding the remains of 57 skunks. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: SKUNKS!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Wolf, Mountain lion, Bobcat

15. The word "badger" comes from the French word "becheur", meaning "digger", and with good reason - badgers live in networks of tunnels underground. What is this home called?


Answer: A sett

Interesting Information:
The word "sett" comes from "cete", a term for a group of badgers. Each sett is home to a clan of up to a dozen badgers, and features numerous entrances and underground chambers, which the badgers keep lined with grass bedding. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Tommy Brock: The Eurasian Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
A den, A warren, A bunker

16. Which species formerly of family Mustelidae was misrepresented as a European species by a popular Looney Tunes character?


Answer: Skunk

Interesting Information:
Skunks are native to most parts of North America and Mexico, but no known skunk species are native to France. :-) There has recently been a push to grant Skunks their own taxonomical family. Some universities now place them in the family Mephitidae, the Skunk family, based on certain genetic evidence which may prove their split from other members of Mustelidae goes further back than once believed. The reclassification is still being debated, and that may continue for some time, however I believe it will likely stick. This just proves taxonomy is a tricky business. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Weasel Family - Mustelidae

17. Skunk spray is not only quite stinky, it can also cause other problems. Which symptom CANNOT be produced by skunk spray?


Answer: Male pattern hair loss

Interesting Information:
The spray can be quite detrimental to people with breathing problems, such as COPD or asthma. Nearly everybody who gets a direct spray will vomit. Getting sprayed in the eyes is very painful and will cause temporary loss of sight, but thorough rinsing will clean it out and the eyes will be fine in a day or so. Be aware: if a skunk starts acting agitated near you, quietly and gently walk away. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: SKUNKS!
 
Some incorrect choices:
A runny nose, Temporary blindness, Violent sickness

18. Suddenly, Badgie sees a really small badger. He thinks it is a dwarf. He tries to make fun of him but the badger runs away. "I won't be teased because I'm the smallest type of badger," he protested. Which type of badger is the smallest?


Answer: ferret badger

Interesting Information:
The European badger is considered to be one of the biggest badgers. Other types of badgers such as the American badger, the hog badger and the honey badger are all larger than the ferret badger. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
stink badger, honey badger, hog badger

19. Eurasian badgers are omnivorous and will eat a variety of foods, but most of their diet consists of one particular food. What is it?


Answer: Earthworms

Interesting Information:
But badgers will also eat the other three options, as well as fruit, seeds, eggs, and other small animals like frogs. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Tommy Brock: The Eurasian Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
Roots, Small rodents, Insects

20. Skunks are also scavengers and therefore clean up road kill. They are known to feast on grubs in the lawn. The largest part of their diet consists of insects. What is the estimated percentage of insects in a striped skunk's diet?


Answer: 70 %

Interesting Information:
Most studies show that about 70 percent of a skunk's diet consists of insects. Of this 70 percent, many of these insects are considered harmful to agriculture, or public health in general. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Skunks (friend or foe)
 
Some incorrect choices:
20 %, 50 %, 45 %

21. What member of Mustelidae's population was nearly wiped out entirely when farmers began using poison on prairie dogs, this animal's natural prey?


Answer: Mustela nigripes

Interesting Information:
Mustela nigripes, the Black-Footed Ferret, is the only ferret native to North America. Its natural habitat ranged from Southern Canada to Texas, cutting a broad swath through the central and western United States. Currently the unfortunate Black-Footed Ferret is extinct in the wild, though efforts are being taken to cultivate and reintroduce populations throughout the ferret's habitat. The Mustelidae Enhydra lutris nereis is the Southern Sea Otter. Aplodontia rufa nigra is the Point Arena Mountain Beaver. Leopardus pardalis is the ocelot. All four of these species are listed on the US Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species list. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Weasel Family - Mustelidae
 
Some incorrect choices:
Aplodontia rufa nigra, Mustelidae Enhydra lutris nereis, Leopardus pardalis

22. As Badgie strolls merrily along he sees Badge the baby badger out with his mama. Feeling very grown-up he wonders what name humans would give to a baby badger. What is a baby badger called?


Answer: cub

Interesting Information:
A calf can be a baby cow, giraffe or elephant. Other animals have young that are called calf too. Baby sharks are called pups and baby kangaroos are joeys. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
calf , pup, joey

23. The male badger is called a boar. What is the name for the female?


Answer: Sow

Interesting Information:
The young are called cubs - like bear young - but the adults are named the same as swine. Badgers are not related to swine, but closer to weasels. They are easily distinguished by their markings: black face with white marks, long weasel-like heads, usually grey body and black legs. They also have a pale underbelly and a light stripe that runs from head to tail. They measure about 35 inches long. Badgers have been known to adopt young foxes and coyotes, and even a human child. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: No Stinkin' Badgers!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Souweeee, Boss, Bess

24. What is a young skunk called?


Answer: a kitten

Interesting Information:
Young skunks are referred to as kittens. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Skunks (friend or foe)
 
Some incorrect choices:
a pup, a cria, a smolt

25. Which aquatic member of Mustelidae is often depicted half submerged, belly up, cracking open large clams?


Answer: Sea Otter

Interesting Information:
The Sea Otter has developed the ability to use rocks as a clam-cracking tool. They are also known to wrap themselves in kelp to prevent drifting during sleep. Quite the clever critter. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: The Weasel Family - Mustelidae
 
Some incorrect choices:
Wolverine, Badger, Fisher

26. Honey badgers are born blind, hairless, and helpless. How old are baby honey badgers when their eyes open?


Answer: 2 months

Interesting Information:
The mother honey badger is very devoted to protecting her young. The kit will usually leave the sow at around 14 months of age, but sometimes even stay with her for two years. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: World of the Hell-raising Honey Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
2 weeks, 6 months, 1 year

27. Skunks are native only to the Americas. What is the generally accepted reason for several pockets of wild skunks being found in the UK in 2019?


Answer: They escaped after being brought in as pets

Interesting Information:
Yes, they escaped (or were intentionally released). It's legal to have a pet skunk in the UK (with a license), but the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 made it illegal to remove their scent glands except as medical requirements. I'm sure there are a lot of pet skunks in the UK that have "medical requirements" (and understandably so). Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: SKUNKS!
 
Some incorrect choices:
They swam, They snuck over in ships or planes, They were carried by great horned owls

28. Such a short squat animal must be as slow as a sloth, no? What speed can your average busy badger achieve?


Answer: 15 to 19 miles per hour

Interesting Information:
He may not seem speedy, but consider how close to the ground he is! Badgers are devilishly persistent, and are not ordinarily approachable. If they can't run away, they may turn and fight. Badger baiting used to be called a sport. Thankfully it is now illegal almost everywhere, as in the U.K. in 1835 under the "Cruelty to Animals Act", and the 1992 "Protection of Badgers Act". Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: No Stinkin' Badgers!
 
Some incorrect choices:
5 to 8 miles per hour, 30+ miles per hour, 2 to 6 miles per hour

29. Wolverine fur is said to have a special property. What is it?


Answer: Frost does not collect on it

Interesting Information:
Wolverine fur is used as trim on parkas and jackets due to its frost-resistant properties. This is a very unfortunate situation for wolverines, as many are trapped every year for this purpose. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Wolverine
 
Some incorrect choices:
It does not generate static electricity, It is hollow, Its odor scares away rabbits and deer

30. Wolverine sightings are fairly rare, partly due to their remote habitat, partly due to their inherent shyness and partly due to dwindling numbers due to poaching. What is the wolverine's pelt primarily sought for?


Answer: Parka linings

Interesting Information:
The smooth hairs of the wolverine's coat make it especially resistant to frost. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Wolverines
 
Some incorrect choices:
Warm winter fur coats, Rugs, Baby blankets

31. Which smallest member of family Mustelidae is the also smallest member of order Carnivora?


Answer: Least Weasel

Interesting Information:
These tiny mustelids are found in the northern portions of North America, as far south as North Carolina, Northern Asia, and Japan. A population was introduced to New Zealand as well. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Weasel Family - Mustelidae
 
Some incorrect choices:
Little Spotted Skunk, Hairy Nosed Otter, American Pine Marten

32. Skunks rarely spray another skunk. Under what condition does this usually happen?


Answer: When males fight for mating rights

Interesting Information:
You know how rowdy boys can get. Just about the only time a skunk will spray another is when they fight over girl skunks. When they squabble and argue over den space in the fall (they don't really hibernate, but they do become dormant), they use their teeth and powerful claws. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: SKUNKS!
 
Some incorrect choices:
When they're hungry, When skunks get together for a stink party, When females are trying to wean their young

33. Badgie hears noises. It's his mother, Badgina searching for him. Badgie wants to continue his adventure so he quickly hides himself. "What is the name for a female badger?" he wonders. Can you tell?


Answer: sow

Interesting Information:
A pig of any gender may be called hog or swine. The doe is a female deer. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
hog, swine, doe

34. Apart from mating, is the badger always a solitary creature or a social one?


Answer: Depends on the badger

Interesting Information:
Some are solitary, and some are social, even clannish. A group of badgers is called a clan or a cete. Their shelters are almost always underground dens, called setts. They may even party down there, as badgers are known to sometimes get drunk on fermented or rotting fruit. They wear special party hats and dance the night away... But, really, badgers have become popular characters in literature by authors Kenneth Grahame, Roald Dahl, T.H. White, C.S.Lewis, Lafcadio Hearn and more. They are also the state animal of Wisconsin and mascots of the athletic teams there.

Yes, they really get drunk! Some birds who eat the Brazilian Pepper shrub berries also get drunk. Who knows what wild and crazy things they may do! Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: No Stinkin' Badgers!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Solitary, Social, Sociopath

35. The wolverine's adaptations show that it has evolved to fit a particular niche. What is that niche?


Answer: Scavenger

Interesting Information:
There are many tall tales of wolverines bringing down full-grown moose, but in actuality, the wolverine derives much of its diet from scavenging already-dead large ungulates. Like a hyena, the wolverine has extremely powerful jaws that can crush even large bones. A wolverine's jaws are so powerful that it can chew through chain-link fence! Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: The Wolverine
 
Some incorrect choices:
Hunter of large mammals, Insectivore, Hunter of fish

36. Several bodily characteristics help define members of family Mustelidae. Among those is the bone structure of the feet. From the following, can you select the appropriate foot structure?


Answer: Five toes

Interesting Information:
Members of the family Mustelidae have five toes on each foot. Some species have partially retractable claws, but in all cases, the claws on the feet of mustelids are weight-bearing. This means mustelids canNOT be declawed. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Weasel Family - Mustelidae
 
Some incorrect choices:
Four toes, Four toes and a dewclaw, Five toes and a dewclaw

37. What else is the honey badger commonly known as?


Answer: Ratel

Interesting Information:
There are several theories as to how the honey badger also became named the "ratel" - one is the warning, rattling noise that the honey badger makes, when threatened.

It is also said to be derived from the Dutch word for "honeycomb" - "raat."

Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: World of the Hell-raising Honey Badger
 
Some incorrect choices:
Stink badger, Marmoset, Chinkara

38. Many skunks are kept as pets. What's the best way to train a skunk to use a litter box?


Answer: Determine where the skunk wants to "go" and put the litter box in that spot

Interesting Information:
A pet skunk will sniff out the best spot to do its "business." Put the litter box right there and keep it clean; a skunk will avoid a dirty box. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: SKUNKS!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Rub their nose in any "accident", Smack 'em with a flip-flop, Move the litter box daily to keep interest up

39. What is the name of the dog that was bred to hunt badgers?


Answer: Dachshund

Interesting Information:
"Dachs" means badger in German, as the dog was bred to flush out badgers for hunters. In the U.K. it is now not permissible to block off the entrance to a badger's home except during a fox hunt when it may be partially blocked to prevent the fox from accidentally getting in. It's just not politically correct to badger badgers! Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: No Stinkin' Badgers!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Harrier, Borzoi, Ridgeback

40. What is unusual about the home ranges of wolverines?


Answer: They are enormous

Interesting Information:
An adult male wolverine can have a home range of more than 920 square kilometers/355 square miles! Females have home ranges about half the size of males. Wolverines are constantly on the move; mountain ranges, rivers, and other geographic features are no barrier to them. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Wolverine
 
Some incorrect choices:
They are concentrated around rich sources of food, Many wolverines share one home range, They never cross rivers
Please remember to credit FunTrivia.com, add links on your website or newsletters, or otherwise spread the word about our website. Thank you very much, and we hope these questions have been useful!
Copyright FunTrivia.com. All Rights Reserved.


By accessing this site, you agree to our Conditions of Use / Privacy / Legal Policies
All content on this site is protected by international law.