TV Times magazinechallenges The King of the Wilderness with our ferocious quiz! 1. In the first episode, you explore Scotland’s stunning Caledonian pine forests where you’re looking for red squirrels. According to the Forestry Commission, how many red squirrels are there in Great Britain? A 140,000 B 240,000 C 340,000 Ray’s answer: "There are 140,000 [CORRECT!]. And that’s not enough, there are too many grey squirrels. The grey squirrel is more gregarious, it can eat more things, it’s bigger and it out-competes the red for food. Greys take the eggs of our songbirds, damage the bark of our trees, and they prevent the regeneration of beech trees. They’re not good news and if we make a concerted effort we could greatly impinge on their numbers." 2. In episode seven, you spy Europe’s largest spider on the Norfolk Broads – can you name it? Ray’s answer: "The raft spider [CORRECT!]. It’s a very rare spider because it’s dependant on wetland habitat, which we have a habit of draining and turning into farmland. It’s really big, like two or three inches across, and it’s a beautiful spider." 3. In episode two, you encounter a herd of reindeer in the Scottish Highlands. Can you name three of Santa Claus’s flying reindeer? Ray’s answer: "That’s such a silly question! I guess we’ve got Dancer, Prancer, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. [CORRECT!]" TV Times: "That’s more than enough, Ray!" Ray: "And did you know that they’re all female? Because at that time of year it’s only the females who still have their antlers on." TV Times: "That deserves a bonus point!" 4. In episode three, you film red-throated divers as they arrive on Scotland’s west coast to breed. According to the RSPB, approximately how many red-throated divers winter in the UK? A 4,000 to 5,000 birds B 6,000 to 8,000 birds C Over 10,000 birds Ray’s answer: "It’s four to five thousand [CORRECT!]. We found just one pair on a little tiny loch hidden away. We really were seeing one of the most secretive creatures in the country." 5. In episode nine, you visit the New Forest in Hampshire. Name the king who turned the area into a royal hunting ground in 1079... Ray’s answer: "William the Conqueror [CORRECT!]. The New Forest is one of the richest places in the country for wildlife. I saw nightjars, honey buzzards, goat moths… it’s just an astonishing place." 6. In episode eight you visit a river in Norfolk where you catch a glimpse of the elusive water vole. True or false: In Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows the character Ratty was based on a water vole? Ray’s answer: "True [CORRECT!] And do I get a bonus point for telling you that the author drew inspiration from the River Fowey in Cornwall?" TV Times: "Hmm, you’re showing off a bit now, but yes you can have another bonus point!" 7. Finally, in the first episode, you uncover a huge wood ant’s nest, but which famous American comedian voiced the ant Z in the 1998 film Antz? Ray’s answer: "Sylvester Stallone [INCORRECT!]" TV Times: "It was actually Woody Allen." Ray: "You’ve got me at last!" RAY’S FINAL SCORE: 9 + two bonus points = an unheard of 11 out of 10!
