Can You Name All These Herbivores From an Image?


By: Cameron Cobb

6 Min Quiz

Image: Paul Souders / Stone / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Whether it be a grass-guzzling goat or a plant-powered pika, these animals all have something in common: their diet. Let's get to the root of what makes a herbivore a ... well, herbivore!

While carnivores and omnivores get at least a portion of their nutrients from animals, herbivores strictly rely on vegetation for their meals. Often, herbivores will spend their entire day eating just to gain enough energy to survive.

When it comes to the circle of life, herbivores play a vital role in the food chain. These animals are the first to eat the producers (or plants), and thus they are able to harness a fraction of that energy and pass it along to other animals that may prey on herbivorous creatures.

Herbivore is a general classification, as there are subcategories, depending on what an animal eats. For instance, critters that have a diet of mostly fruit, such as flying foxes, are called frugivores, and those that eat wood, such as termites, are known as xylophages.

Do you have what it takes to tell one plant eater from another? Then grow ahead and test out your knowledge by naming these 40 green gobblers of the animal kingdom! (We beleaf in you!)

Bet you a buck you can get this one! What's the name?

The bushbuck's diet consists mostly of grass, though this animal also eats fruit, tubers, flowers, tree bark, herbs and shrubs. Most of the water a bushbuck needs to survive comes from the plant-based food it eats.


This is the largest land mammal in North America. Can you tell us what this animal is?

An adult male bison (a bull) can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds, while an adult female (a cow) can weigh up to 1,000. The hump on a bison is made up of muscle and allows the animal to charge and forage through snow with ease.


What's the name of this plant-eating reptile?

The tail of a green iguana makes up roughly half of its overall length. While this herbivore is famous for being green, it can be found in other colors as well, including brown and even turquoise!


Feel free to go bananas after getting this question right! What is this creature?

It's easy to see how these monkeys get their name, as the howl or roar they make can be heard from as far as three miles away! Howler monkeys can be found in Central and South America.


This is the second largest land mammal on the planet! What's it known as?

A hippopotamus spends the majority of its time in rivers and lakes. A hippopotamus' nose, eyes and ears are on the top of its head, making it easy for this animal to stay mostly submerged. A hippo is able to close its nostrils when necessary.


If you've been to a farm, then you'll likely recognize this herbivore. Can you tell us the name?

Did you know that a goat can learn its name like a dog? Humans began herding goats roughly 9,000 years ago, and these animals were one of the first species that humans started taming.


You don't have to worry about this plant eater having a thirst for blood. What is this animal?

Egyptian fruit bats use echolocation to find food, meaning these little creatures send out a series of high-pitched clicks that lead to vibrations from food sources. Egyptian fruit bats dine on a variety of fruits and sometimes leaves.


What unforgettable mammal do you see here?

The African savanna, the African forest and the Asian are the three different species of elephant. How do you tell them apart? Their ears! Asian elephants have small ears shaped like India, while African elephants have larger ears shaped like — you guessed it — Africa!


Have you ever "herd" of this herbivorous creature?

A caribou's stomach is made up of four chambers, like cows, which makes it easier for this animal to digest its food. Caribou feed on grass, berries, seeds, leaves, lichen and willow twigs.


Can you tell us the name of this large rodent?

When fully grown, capybaras can eat a whopping eight pounds of grass in just one day! These animals have also been known to eat their own poop, which, while not as appetizing as grass, has bacteria that help with digestion.


Hop-fully you know the answer to this question! Who do you see here?

Did you know that kangaroos are the only big animals to use hopping as their main method of travel? Kangaroos dine on an assortment of vegetation, including flowers, leaves, grass and moss.


You'd know this bird if you heard it! What's the name?

Geese have each others' backs, and if one gets injured while flying, the rest of the flock will slow down for their fallen comrade. Geese dine on grass, seeds and berries, with blueberries being one of their favorites. While they're primarily herbivorous, they will occasionally enjoy an insect or two.


This being belongs in the antelope family. Do you know it?

Did you know that worldwide there are 19 different species of gazelle? Gazelles feast on leaves, shoots and grass, and gerenuk gazelles are able to stand on their hind legs to enjoy hard-to-reach tender twigs.


You might recognize this farm animal by the sound it makes. Tell us what it is?

Donkeys are very intelligent animals. These herbivores have great memories, and they've been known to recognize familiar places and fellow donkey faces even when 25 years have passed!


This animal is only found in Asia and Africa. What is it?

Chevrotains are also known as "mouse-deer" for their appearance, though they aren't related to either mice or deer. These animals can stay underwater for up to four minutes to avoid predators.


Do you know the name of this colorful creature?

All over the world, there are more than 17,500 different species of butterflies. Monarchs, unlike other butterfly species, migrate to warmer climates when the temperature begins to drop.


There are nearly 11,000 species of this herbivore worldwide. Can you guess it?

Certain types of grasshopper are able to eat roughly half of their body weight in plants every day. These insects can jump nearly one meter in length, which for humans would be the equivalent of jumping a football field!


This colossal mammal has a horn made of keratin. What's its name?

While these animals only dine on plants, that certainly doesn't inhibit their size. There are five different species of rhinoceros, and all can grow to weigh more than 2,200 pounds.


Its nickname is the "zebra giraffe." Do you know its common name?

While the stripes might have you thinking otherwise, the okapi is the only animal to belong in the same family as the giraffe. At 14 to 18 inches in length, an okapi's tongue helps it to grasp tasty leaves.


Do you know the name of this underwater gentle giant?

Manatees are known to eat algae, sea grass and even acorns. Algae also grow on manatees, creating an interesting relationship. In just one day, a manatee can eat a tenth of its body weight.


Not to be mistaken for the Pokémon, what's the name of this creature?

Pikas eat vegetation, such as herbs and grass, and during summer they will store some of their food to stock up for winter. These little animals survive in colonies, where they communicate using both scents and sounds.


We hope you find this quiz amoosing so far! Now, can you name this animal?

Did you know that only male moose are able to grow antlers? These natural ornaments can reach up to five feet in length and weigh more than 60 pounds! Once each year, moose lose their antlers.


Polly want a vegetarian cracker? What's this talkative bird known as?

There are over 370 species of these colorful birds, with the majority living in tropical parts of the world. Did you know that certain parrots can live to be more than 80 years old? Talk about over the hill!


Here's a herbivore known for being quiet. What do you see here?

In addition to helping these animals feel their surroundings, the whiskers of mice tell them when the temperature changes. A mouse's nearly hairless tail can grow to be as long as its body.


This animal may be one of the rarest in the world. What is it?

The last kouprey was seen in the wild in 1998, though experts believe they still exist. Both female and male koupreys have horns, and the varying sizes and shapes of their horns can be used to tell the gender — males have longer horns that arch upward and forward.


Do you know the name of this prehistoric plant eater?

The stegosaurus walked the earth more than 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period. With inflexible jaws, tiny teeth and short necks, these dinosaurs probably dined primarily on low-lying vegetation, such as shrubs.


If you don't know this one, take a minute to skink about it. What's this reptile?

To protect their young, both Solomon Island skink parents work together, making these reptiles one of the few species to do so. While many other types of lizards can regrow their tail if it's broken off, Solomon Island skinks cannot.


Can you tell us the name of this soft, fluffy herbivore?

Did you know that just one square centimeter of a chinchilla's fur can contain nearly 20,000 hairs? That's the highest fur density of any animal on land. In the wild, these animals are nocturnal and feed primarily on shrubs and grass.


This animal sleeps for the majority of its life. What is it?

While it's sometimes thought that koalas sleep up to 22 hours per day because the eucalyptus oil intoxicates them, their sleep cycle actually has a purpose. When a koala rests, it's able to conserve the energy needed to digest its food.


What's the name of this African mammal, which is the largest species of antelope?

Despite their large size, giant elands can run as fast as 43 miles per hour. A giant eland's diet typically consists of foliage, grass and even fruit, such as plums, when it's available.


These tiny critters have a ruler. What's the name?

Did you know that there are over 12,000 different species of ants? Ants are able to pick up something as heavy as 20 times their body weight. Since ants don't have ears, they use vibrations to sense their surroundings.


Known for munching on carrots, what's this animal called?

Throughout its life, a rabbit can be described in a variety of ways. For instance, as a baby, a rabbit is known as a kit or kitten. An adult female rabbit is known as a doe, while the male is called a buck.


Can you guess the name of this winged herbivore?

A hoatzin eats for nearly four hours every day, once in the early morning and again during the late evening. This bird will feast on the leaves of different types of plants, such as arums, legumes and succulents.


This little rodent is most active during the day. What's it known as?

Degus are a type of octodon. You can find octodons living in different parts of South America, such as Peru, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. Unlike many rodents, degus are diurnal, rather than nocturnal.


Look out for this mammal on a farm or atop a mountain. Can you name this animal?

Llamas feed on ferns, grass and hay, and they can eat as much as 10 pounds of hay in just one day! Llamas are very social animals, living in herds which have social orders that sometimes cause the animals to fight.


Do you know the name of this long-necked, plant-eating mammal?

A camel's lips help it to eat, as their thickness enables the camel to dine on thorny plants that others can't. While commonly thought to contain water, a camel's hump is used to store fat — up to 80 pounds!


This is a smaller species of buffalo. Can you guess it?

A tamaraw typically lives to be between 20 and 25 years of age. Tamaraws are endangered, with just 300 believed to still exist. These plant-eating animals can only be found in the Philippines.


Here's one rare herbivore that's been nicknamed the "Asian unicorn." Can you tell us the name?

In 1992, saolas were discovered in the wild for the first time, and since then they've only been photographed a few times. They were found living between the border of Laos and Vietnam, and their name translates to mean "spindle horns" in Vietnamese.


Slow and steady wins the (quiz) race! What's the name of this animal?

Did you know that a group of tortoises is known as a creep? Tortoises with dark-colored shells typically live in cooler areas, while those with light-colored shells are more often found in warmer places.


Can you guess the name of this iconic black and white herbivore?

While known for their black and white fur, giant pandas actually begin life pink (and not so giant). A giant panda can eat a whopping 20 to 40 pounds of bamboo in just a single day!


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