The Animals of Wisconsin Trivia Quiz

Answer: Badgers are carnivores

Badgers are carnivores. Their diet ranges from small mammals like squirrels, groundhogs and mice to ground dwelling birds and insects. They will eat plants but prefer meat.

As for the others, the deep south is about the only part of the United States where you can't find badgers. Badgers live a fairly short lifespan of four to five years on average, although some badgers in captivity have lived up to 15 years. Badgers tend to like the prairies, and are less likely to be found in densely wooded areas.

The badger was named the Wisconsin state animal in 1957. It appears on the state flag and state seal. The nickname badger is a reference to miners in southwestern Wisconsin, who dug into the earth much like the animals.

Answer: black thrush

The robin (Turdus migratorius) is part of the thrush family, so it's closest to the black thrush (Turdus infuscatus). The robin has been the state bird of Wisconsin since 1949.

As to the other three, they are not in the same family as thrushes. Cuckoo is Cuculus canorus, the golden parakeet is Guaruba guaroba (a member of the parrot family) and the ruby-throated hummingbird is Archilochus colubris.

Answer: muskellunge

The correct spelling is muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) . The muskie was named the state fish in 1955. It is a highly prized fishing trophy in Wisconsin, one that takes the average angler around fifty hours to obtain. The fish is part of the pike family and so is long and thin. The largest muskie on record was 72 inches long and weighed 70 pounds.

Muskies can be found in hundreds of lakes around Wisconsin, especially in the northern part of the state. It is a fairly common fish in North America and can be found in most US states.

Answer: Michigan

Michigan is the correct choice. Illinois does have the deer as its state animal, not its wildlife animal. Eight other states have the white tailed deer as their state symbol: Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources estimates there are roughly 1.8 million deer in the state. The DNR recently announced that deer populations were at an all time high, creating problems for both the deer and the humans who live near them.

Answer: American water spaniel

While not all states have a state dog, some do, usually at the suggestion of school students. In this case, lobbying by students in New London helped make the American water spaniel the state dog in 1985.

The American water spaniel was created in Wisconsin, by New London area doctor Fred Pfeifer, who standardized the breed in the early part of the 20th century. It was recognized as an official breed by the American Kennel Club in 1940.

The Great Dane is the state dog of Pennsylvania, the golden retriever is Delaware and the American foxhound is Virginia.

Answer: True

The honey bee became the state insect in 1977 through the collaboration of students in Marinette and the Honey Producers Association.

Bees are vital to the agriculture of Wisconsin and many other states, both as pollinators and producers of honey. As well as its food value, honey also has medical benefits as an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent.

Answer: Clark

The dairy cow was named the domestic animal of Wisconsin in 1971. The state has been nicknamed "America's Dairyland" even though the number of dairy farms has declined in recent decades. Wisconsin still remains one of the largest producers of milk and cheese.

Clark County had the most, with 66,000, with Marathon close behind at 64,000. Fond du Lac is another major dairy county with 58,000 cows. And Manitowac, along the Lake Michigan shoreline, had 54,000 cows in 2021.

The state beverage is milk (designated in 1987).

Answer: peace

Doves have been a symbol of peace in many cultures. They are often associated with goddesses of love such as Aphrodite and Xochiquetzal. Doves are associated with peace in both the Christian and Judaic tradition.

In more recent times, the dove with an olive branch as a symbol of peace was chosen in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II.

Answer: Baraboo

Many species of crane are endangered. Fortunately, the Sandhill crane is not one of them. The Mississippi cranes (Grus pulla) are the ones most commonly found in Wisconsin. The cranes range throughout Canada and even parts of Siberia. Wisconsin is near the southern edge of their migratory range. The cranes had been designated as an official Wisconsin symbol at the time of writing.

Baraboo is near the center of Wisconsin, along the Wisconsin River. It is most famous as the home of the Circus World Museum.

Answer: southwest

The timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) is found in the western side of the state, especially the southwestern counties along the Mississippi River. Their venom contains a fairly potent neurotoxin.

The eastern massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) is also a rattlesnake. It prefers water such as floodplains, and can be found in Western and Central Wisconsin,. Massasauga venom is also toxic, but their fangs are small.

Fortunately, deaths from snakebites are extremely rare in Wisconsin.