Dare to take a stroll on the wild side with this challenging quiz, testing your knowledge of both exotic and familiar animals. If you can tell which creature changes its colour based on its surroundings and know the difference between a lemur and a llama, you’ll be crowned king of the jungle.
This comes after research revealed that almost half of Brits struggle to distinguish between a leopard and a cheetah. A staggering 62 per cent are unable to differentiate between a crocodile and an alligator, while 42 per cent mistakenly believe penguins inhabit the Arctic, rather than Antarctica.
The survey of 2,000 adults also revealed that 23 per cent think an axolotl is a mythical creature. Additionally, 46 per cent incorrectly said that camels store water in their humps, while a small percentage wrongly categorise bats as birds instead of mammals.
Only 37 per cent claimed they could confidently spot the difference between a donkey and a mule, and a mere 30 per cent could discern an alpaca from a llama. However, a commendable 82 per cent correctly identified the blue whale as the largest mammal.
Linda Edwards, chief executive of SPANA, the global working animal welfare charity which commissioned the research, said: “People everywhere are still learning about animals – yet working animals remain largely invisible.
“We want to change that by highlighting the hardships faced by horses, donkeys, camels, oxen and many more.”
Despite the significant gaps in knowledge, 42 per cent rated their animal expertise as seven out of 10 or higher – with television proving to be the primary learning resource for 51 per cent.
However, fewer than one in six were aware of what a working animal actually was. But of the six in ten who have encountered a working animal whilst travelling abroad, 79 per cent felt concerned afterwards.
The most common areas of worry facing working animals were lengthy working hours, limited legislation to protect them, lack of access to veterinary care. Meanwhile, 11 per cent highlighted the impact of the ongoing climate crisis as a major area of concern for working animals.
Linda Edwards from SPANA added: “The British public are right to be concerned about working animals, whose welfare is often overlooked.
“They are at the frontline of the climate crisis, facing extreme weather that threatens their habitat and lives – and when they suffer, so do the millions of people worldwide who rely on them for farming, transport and daily survival.
“We are committed to improving the lives of working animals by ensuring they have veterinary care, offering training and support to their owners and educating children about animal welfare.”
