Q 01/05

Hoover, a harbor seal at Boston's New England Aquarium, became famous for which unusual talent?

A) Painting with a paintbrush

B) Imitating human speech

C) Balancing a spinning ball

D) Playing a toy trumpet

Answer · why

B) Imitating human speech

Imitating human speech made Hoover a star: he barked out greetings in the gruff New England accent of the man who raised him as a pup. None of his six...

Q 02/05

Harbor seals often rest with head and rear flippers raised, a pose nicknamed after which fruit?

A) A banana

B) A pear

C) A melon

D) A coconut

Answer · why

A) A banana

A banana curve is the classic resting pose of the species, seen on rocks, beaches and even on ice drifting in northern fjords.

Q 03/05

In the 1994 family film Andre, about a real harbor seal, which kind of animal played the title role?

A) A harbor seal

B) A sea otter

C) A sea lion

D) A gray seal

Answer · why

C) A sea lion

A sea lion named Tory took the part. The real Andre spent some 25 years alongside the harbormaster who raised him.

Q 04/05

A young harbor seal that became a London celebrity on the River Thames in 2021 was named after which singer?

A) David Bowie

B) Bruce Springsteen

C) Elton John

D) Freddie Mercury

Answer · why

D) Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury the seal drew crowds near Hammersmith Bridge, far upriver from the sea, in a river once written off as ecologically dead.

Q 05/05

A harbor seal with one cloudy eye became Friday Harbor's official seal under which cartoon character's name?

A) Popeye

B) Mr. Magoo

C) Cyclops

D) Plankton

Answer · why

A) Popeye

Popeye was named the Port of Friday Harbor's official seal in 2005, a pun the Washington marina marked with a granite sculpture of her.