David Attenborough is alarmed because half of British kids can’t identify some common plants and animals. I took the quiz myself (there’s a link to the popup on that article) and – sorry, David – I SUCKED. I’ll hide the rest of my comments in case you want to try it yourself.Okay, first off, the British obviously use “Daddy Long Legs” for a completely different thing that the Americans do. Since when do they have WINGS? Yeah, that’s a totally different thing so I don’t feel bad for not knowing it.
Some of them I overthought a bit, like “elk” instead of just “deer.”
I’m terrible with plants. Really, just terrible. Couldn’t get any of them.
And ewwww, was that otter just about to eat a rat? Nasty.
Tia
August 2, 2008 — 9:52 am
I wouldn’t call all of those animals/plants common… well.. not here at any rate. And realistically in most suburban/urban settings, they wouldn’t be common either. I’m sure if you showed a kid in Australia who had never been to the zoo or had the opportunity to SEE an animal that wasn’t a dog/cat/fish that they wouldn’t do so great at things like Salamanders and specific breeds of birds either.
Pamela Lee
August 2, 2008 — 3:08 pm
I didn’t do too badly on the quiz, but then we lived in the UK for half my childhood and I used to spend a lot of time in the park and woods near where I lived.
Rachel
August 3, 2008 — 5:17 pm
Yeah, I got them all too, but then I’m a Brit and spent much of my childhood playing in the local woods. My grandmother also used to set nature quizzes for me and my sister when we when to visit where we would have to collect certain things; leaves, twigs, berries etc from around the village. when we had them all we could have a treat. I will be trying to make sure my child has the same, even in Sydney’s inner west.
There were a couple of odd angle shots there though. If they’d shown the daddy long legs down by the side of the outside loo I’m sure they would have all got it.
otters: lovely until you smell them or see them eat.
Kevin
August 4, 2008 — 1:53 am
Frightfully British, that quiz. If it wasn’t for vague early memories of Ring of Bright Water and Beatrix Potter books I’d have been screwed.
Kris
August 4, 2008 — 8:35 am
Well, I expect all good Hogwarts students to know a badger!
Emily
August 4, 2008 — 8:30 pm
I did pretty well too – said finch for goldfinch, and knew it was a n oak because of the article; I didn’t think you could see it well enough to really be certain.
But I wouldn’t expect a non-Brit to get that many, they are all *British* common wildlife, not N American or Aussie.
Jenny
August 5, 2008 — 2:11 am
I’m kind of disturbed that 88% of children knew a woodlouse. Blech.