All Things White Trivia Quiz

Answer: South Africa

White lions are a genetic variation of the Southern African Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita) that occur because of a recessive gene (leucism). For a white lion to be born, both parents must have the gene (similar to blue-eyed people).

Because of its rarity, it did not take long for the white lion to be hunted to extinction in the wild, and for a time the only living specimens could be found in zoos. Eventually, however, they were reintroduced to the wild in their traditional home region of Timbavati as well as in Kruger National Park in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in eastern South Africa.

Answer: Australia

Four subspecies of Ardea alba can be found around the world, with only minor differences between them. These large birds (up to a meter tall with a wingspan of about a meter and a half) keep together in colonies and nest in trees near extensive wetlands. The subspecies in Africa and South America like to stay where they are, while the northern subspecies in North America and Europe/Asia are migratory, seeking warmer climates in the winter.

In 1953, the great egret was chosen as the symbol of the National Audobon Society.

Answer: 'jagged' and 'tooth'

While Carcharodon carcharias are found around the globe in warm coastal areas, some have been tracked great distances (i.e. from Africa to Australia and back within a year), proving that little is actually known about the white shark's habits and distribution. Despite this, the species has been deemed vulnerable, largely due to the length of time it takes for them to mature and to be ready for breeding (males 26 years, females 33 years) measured against the rate at which they are hunted and killed.

Although labelled as a 'man-killer', humans are most definitely not at the top of the white shark's meal list. They prefer fish and other sea-dwelling creatures (like dolphins, seals, and tortoises, amongst others). Essentially, they need to eat a lot, and are an apex predator.

Answer: False

Its plain appearance has led to the cabbage white being erroneously called the cabbage moth, but it is, in fact, a butterfly.

There are two species of butterfly that have earned the name 'cabbage white'. The larger of the two is Pieris brassicae, also called 'large white' or 'white butterfly'.

The species in the picture is of the smaller variety (Pieris rapae), also called the 'small white' and 'white butterfly'.

The inclusion of 'cabbage' in the name of these two species comes from the habits of the caterpillar stage of both butterflies. In both cases, they enjoy feeding on cabbages (and other plants in the family, such as bok choy, broccoli, and kale). While not native to every continent, cabbage whites have managed to be introduced across the globe, although they are most populous in Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Answer: Its habitat

The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) can be found in Arctic regions, which is what leads to their daytime hunting, especially during the summer when the days get longer (to the point of a full 24 hours north of the Arctic Circle). So, out of necessity, they can hunt at any time of the day or night.

Snowy owls are one of the largest species of owl, measuring in at over half a meter in length with nearly three quarters of a meter wingspan. While they are not tied to just one species of prey, they largely enjoy lemmings, and their population sizes are closely tied.

In 1987, Quebec's National Assembly declared the snowy owl to be its provincial bird.

Answer: True

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) grow to a size of up to three meters, with a weight between 350-700 kg (males), and they are considered to be hypercarnivores, meaning that more than 70% of their diet is meat. They are found in the northern polar regions around the globe, and feed primarily on seals.

Polar bears have a number of other adaptations to live in their harsh climate, including two layers of fur (and fur on the bottom of their feet) with a thick layer of body fat, their legs are shorter than most other bears, as well as their ears and snouts, which reduces heat loss (surface area to volume ratio).

Answer: American

There have been no documented white Chinese alligators.

As a variant of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), white alligators can be either albinistic (no melanin), or leucistic (some melanin). They are extremely rare in the wild (no camouflage makes them easier prey to other predators when young). Most specimens live in preserves or zoos.

Apart from their colouring, all other features of white alligators are the same as their melanistic relatives. They grow to a length of about 3.3 meters (males) with a weight of 450 kg. As carnivores, they enjoy fish, amphibians, freshwater crustaceans, small mammals and lizards, birds, and (sometimes) other alligators.

Answer: To find a mate

To qualify, it is the male dancing white lady spider that will travel such distances to seek mates... the females also wander, but only within their three meter radius.

Found in the Namib desert, dancing white lady spiders are quite large, with bodies measuring about 13 cm with legs twice that length. They typically hunt (in their normal radius) by sitting and waiting for prey to come within range. In the heat of the day, they stay in their burrows where it is cooler, using their silk to reinforce the sand to keep it from collapsing.

Answer: Canada lynx

As documented by Hudson Bay Company records going back to the mid-18th century, the Canada lynx and the snowshoe hare's populations rise and fall with each other. Having a nearly identical habitat range (boreal forests) the lynx's diet is heavily dependent on the snowshoe hare.

Aside from their status as a food source for the Canada lynx, snowshoe hares are well adapted to life in northern climes, with fur that changes colour with the seasons (white in winter, rusty brown in summer), their feet are hair-covered and larger than those of most other hares (hence the name snowshoe) to better move on snow, and even their ears are smaller than most hares to reduce heat loss.

Answer: Iceland

According to the fossil record, the Arctic fox came to Iceland during the last ice age.

As with the other polar region animals mentioned in this quiz, the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) has adaptations that suit its habitat. These include the thick, multilayered fur (for insulation) that changes with the seasons (white in the winter and brown with black and grey in the summer), footpads covered in fur, and a super keen sense of smell to track prey beneath the snow.

Speaking of prey, the Arctic fox enjoys small mammals, birds and fish. Conversely, they are also the prey of larger predators like eagles, bears (polar and grizzly), wolverines, wolves, and red foxes.