Humpback whale. Photo © Dreamstime.com. Flippers. That makes you think of seals and sea lions. Is the answer to our riddle some kind of huge sea lion, you ask?No. Unlike the sea lion, our mammal...
Wondernose
Wondernose: What bird is named for its beard?
Coppersmith Barbets. Photo © Dreamstime.com. You might think our mystery bird’s name will start with the word “bearded”—as in “Bearded Warbler” or “Bearded Flycatcher.” But no, our bird’s name is...
Wondernose: What animal has no head and no legs, yet weighs a quarter of a ton?
Giant clam. Photo © Dreamstime.com. Mind you, Wondernose, not all the animals of this kind weigh a quarter of a ton. They can vary in size from a fraction of an inch to four feet across.But how, you...
Wondernose: Which of the antelopes spends most of its time in water?
Lechwe herd. Photo © iStock. Maybe this question comes as a surprise to you, Wondernose. When you think of antelope, you picture fleet-footed, horned mammals racing across Africa's dry savannahs....
Wondernose: What animal lives in Africa, travels in a pack, and has fur so thin its skin shows through it?
African hunting dogs. Photo © Dreamstime.com. This mysterious animal stands about 3 feet (1 m) high and weighs about 35 to 50 pounds (16-23 kg). It has a great variation in color. Mostly it’s black,...
Wondernose: What animal stands on its head and kicks food into its mouth?
Barnacles on rock. Photo © iStockPhoto.com. You would have to be quite lively in order to eat in this manner, wouldn’t you, Wondernose? And maybe you would have to live in the water like our mystery...
Wondernose: What has three tails, looks like a fish, and lives in the kitchen?
This is a real puzzler, Wondernose. To make our riddle even more puzzling, here are a few additional facts. Above all, our mystery animal likes to eat starchy things, such as flour or bread...
Wondernose: What mammal has an inflatable nose?
“Elephant Seal!” you exclaim.Well, good for you, Wondernose, you have come quite close. However, I wouldn’t really call an elephant seal’s nose inflatable. Mainly it is a very large nose which is...
Wondernose: What bird wears a crown and is so big and strong that it can fly off with a sloth?
Harpy Eagle. Photo © Dreamstime.com. Your first guess is vulture, because you know that vultures eat meat. However, vultures are not as big as our mystery bird. What’s more, vultures couldn’t...
Wondernose: What animal wears an apron of hair that drags on the ground when it walks?
Photo © Dreamstime.com. Here's a big animal for you! The adult males grow to over 6 feet (2 m) high at the shoulders. They may weigh three-quarters of a ton.Buffalo? Good guess, Wondernose, but no....
Wondernose: What bird has three different sets of plumage for three different seasons?
You and I consider it normal to own one coat for winter, one for spring and fall, and one for summer. But that’s not so common for the birds. Yes, a few birds do have two sets of plumage, but three...
Wondernose: What animal will use its horns while eating in much the same way we use a table fork?
Eland. Photo © NDP/Dreamstime.com. Picture this, Wondernose—a large mammal, nearly 6 feet (2 m) tall at the shoulders and 10 feet (3 m) long, wearing a pair of long spiral horns. The animal is a...
Wondernose: What insect can build mud houses over twenty feet tall?
Termite nest, ©Alfotokunst/Dreamstime.com That sounds pretty magnificent, doesn’t it, Wondernose? And really it is, but that isn’t the only dwelling place these insects have. They are very...
Wondernose: What birds sometimes lose their lives by getting swept over Niagara Falls?
I can see that you are quite puzzled by our riddle, Wondernose. Why ever would a bird fall over Niagara Falls? Tundra Swan. Photo © Andy Shubin/Dreamstime.com. To explain why this can happen, I must...
Wondernose: What Animal is a Fierce Nighttime Hunter That Likes to Eat Half its Own Weight in Flesh Every 24 Hours?
Such a riddle probably has you imagining a ferocious animal like a lion, stalking the African savanna to bring down a succulent antelope. But no, our mystery animal is much, much smaller than a...
