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Wars started by animals

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Wars Started by Animals — Daily trivia Thursday, May 21, 2026: questions and answers

All 10 questions with answers and explanations. Play this daily

  1. Q 01Which country's army waged an 'Emu War' against crop-damaging birds?

    • ASouth Africa
    • BArgentina
    • CAustralia
    • DNew Zealand
    Show answer

    Australia

    The brine

    The Emu War was a unique military operation undertaken by Australia in 1932 to address public concern over emus destroying wheat crops in Western Australia.

  2. Q 02What were Australian soldiers sent to do in the so-called Emu War?

    • ATo establish new farming settlements
    • BTo reduce the emu population damaging crops
    • CTo capture emus for scientific study
    • DTo train soldiers in desert warfare
    Show answer

    To reduce the emu population damaging crops

    The brine

    Soldiers with machine-guns were sent to reduce the emu population damaging crops after about 20,000 emus descended on Western Australia's wheat farms.

  3. Q 03Which US state has repeatedly battled infestations of the invasive Giant African Land Snail?

    • AFlorida
    • BTexas
    • CLouisiana
    • DCalifornia
    Show answer

    Florida

    The brine

    Florida has been reinfested repeatedly: giant African land snails were reported in Miami in 1966 and again in 2011, each outbreak taking nearly a decade to eradicate, with further introductions in 2022 and 2023 placed under quarantine.

  4. Q 04How is the outcome of Australia's Emu War popularly remembered?

    • AThe emus were considered the 'victors'
    • BA stalemate with no clear victor
    • CA complete eradication of the emu population
    • DA decisive victory for the military
    Show answer

    The emus were considered the 'victors'

    The brine

    The emus were considered the victors: they largely evaded the soldiers, who were withdrawn with minimal impact on the emu population, and a 1953 Sydney newspaper called it the bird's most complete victory.

  5. Q 05In which region of Western Australia did most of the 'Emu War' operations take place?

    • ACampion District
    • BKimberley Region
    • CPilbara Region
    • DPerth Metropolitan Area
    Show answer

    Campion District

    The brine

    The Emu War primarily occurred in the Campion district within the Wheatbelt of Western Australia, where emus were destroying crops planted by soldier-settlers.

  6. Q 06Which animal did settler Thomas Austin release for hunting?

    • ARed fox
    • BCane toad
    • CFeral camel
    • DEuropean rabbit
    Show answer

    European rabbit

    The brine

    The European rabbit: Austin had his nephew send rabbits from England for sport, by 1866 hunters had killed 50,000, and Western Australia later built a 3,256 km rabbit-proof fence.

  7. Q 07Which European country approved sending 177 soldiers to shoot wild boar to protect its pork industry?

    • AFrance
    • BItaly
    • CPoland
    • DGermany
    Show answer

    Italy

    The brine

    Italy deployed 177 soldiers in 2024 to cut the wild boar population by 80% over five years, fearing African swine fever would reach the pigs behind its €8 billion prosciutto and sausage industry.

  8. Q 08Which firearm did Australian soldiers mainly use in the so-called 'Emu War'?

    • ALee-Enfield rifles
    • BLewis guns
    • COwen submachine guns
    • DVickers machine guns
    Show answer

    Lewis guns

    The brine

    The Royal Australian Artillery detachment was issued two Lewis guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition to cull the emus.

  9. Q 09What health risk does the Giant African Land Snail pose to humans as a parasite carrier?

    • ALyme disease
    • BMalaria
    • CRat lungworm, causing meningitis
    • DYellow fever
    Show answer

    Rat lungworm, causing meningitis

    The brine

    Rat lungworm, causing meningitis: the snail can carry Angiostrongylus cantonensis, usually caught by eating raw or undercooked snails, though even handling live wild snails can pass it on.

  10. Q 10Who commanded the Royal Australian Artillery unit sent to fight the 'Emu War'?

    • AGeneral Sir Harry Chauvel
    • BCaptain Charles Kingsford Smith
    • CColonel John Monash
    • DMajor Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith
    Show answer

    Major Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith

    The brine

    Major Gwynydd Purves Wynne-Aubrey Meredith led the gunners, and afterwards compared the emus to Zulus, marvelling that they kept manoeuvring even when badly wounded.

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