Q 01/05

In old Indian arena contests, people bet on which caracal could kill the most of which birds?

A) Quail

B) Parrots

C) Pigeons

D) Sparrows

Answer · why

C) Pigeons

Pigeons were released in flocks for the contest, and the betting is said to have given English the idiom about putting the cat among the pigeons.

Q 02/05

Gosha, a pet caracal whose owner posted him on Instagram, became which hugely popular internet meme?

A) Big Floppa

B) Grumpy Cat

C) Lil Bub

D) Keyboard Cat

Answer · why

A) Big Floppa

Big Floppa is the meme name of Gosha, short for Gregory, and fans now use Floppa for pictures of any caracal.

Q 03/05

Caracals near Simon's Town, South Africa, caused about a tenth of deaths in a colony of which seabirds?

A) Gannets

B) Pelicans

C) Cormorants

D) Penguins

Answer · why

D) Penguins

Penguins at the Simon's Town breeding colony are African penguins, and caracals were blamed for about 11% of their deaths between 1999 and 2021.

Q 04/05

San Diego Zoo says a caracal can even leap onto which bird as it sits?

A) Marabou stork

B) Ostrich

C) Secretary bird

D) Kori bustard

Answer · why

B) Ostrich

An ostrich is far bigger than the usual menu, though caracals do occasionally kill mammals as large as an impala or a young kudu.

Q 05/05

The South African Air Force is reported to have trained caracals to keep flocks of birds away from what?

A) Runways

B) Radar dishes

C) Fuel depots

D) Parade grounds

Answer · why

A) Runways

Runways kept clear of flocks mean fewer bird strikes, which can badly damage aircraft.