We know for a fact that the cheetah is the fastest animal on earth. What is barely known, however, is how the big cat manages to take slick, sharp turns while it runs. Credits to this astounding ability to balance can be given to its lengthy and muscular tail. Another powerful tale of a tail comes from the spider monkey. Its flexible tail can grasp branches just as well as its limb, allowing the monkey to grab hanging fruit while it is hanging by its tail!
Clearly, tails are not merely fluffy extensions of an animal. They are a primary characteristic of vertebrates. Many species use their tail in defence, for social signalling, in locomotion and even to balance their bodies. In this article, let’s explore what roles tails take up to help the animal survive their wild world.
Tails for the Balancing Act
Snow Leopards are known to be the silent “ghosts of mountains” as they covertly tread high alpine regions of the HImalayas in India. Their camouflaging abilities and powerful limbs make them formidable apex predators. Snow leopards navigate the rugged, uneven terrain of their high-altitude habitats, for which their short limbs and thick, long tail achieve utmost stability. While hunting prey, a snow leopard can effortlessly jump up to 30 feet! During fast movements or a rapid chase, it is their tail that plays a crucial role in ensuring overall balance, making it an essential element for the snow leopard’s hunting prowess.
Many New World Monkey species like the spider monkey from Mexico, and Central and South America can be seen masterfully swinging and leaping from one branch to another performing acrobatic manoeuvres. Their long, well developed prehensile tails assist in grasping tree branches and are helpful in maintaining the balance these arboreals need.
Tails in the Armoury
In reptiles, their tails have evolved to serve as a tool for defence. Monitor lizards, for instance, can grow tails to a length of more than half their body size, which they use as a whipping weapon. When threatened, the monitor will swiftly pivot, using its powerful tail to strike its prey or any perceived threat to incapacitate them.
One of the many ways other lizards use their tail is ironically by losing them! In a process called autotomy, lizard species like geckos, iguanas, and salamanders, shed their tails to escape predators. The detached tail wiggles extensively to distract the predator so that attacks from the main body are redirected to the tail.
While tails are a primary feature of vertebrates, arachnids like scorpions possess curved tails made up of five segments, with the last one being a stinger. As an antipredator response, scorpions direct the venomous stinger forward over the front part of their body to inject the venom into their target. Their strike is quick and precise so that the toxin is delivered effectively. Interestingly, like lizards, rare scorpions from South America can also perform tail autotomy to escape predators.
Tails for Temperature
A snow leopard’s tail measures between 31 and 39 inches on an average, making it almost as long as their body and longer than that of any other big cat. It is a feature that is well-adapted to ensure the species’ survival in cold regions. You may wonder how the tail could help the snow leopard battle the cold? It does so through thermoregulation, a process by which the body maintains its internal temperature. Snow leopards curl their tails around their bodies like a blanket for warmth while resting. The thickness of a snow leopard’s tail can be attributed to its function of storing fat, which helps them to survive in times of food scarcity.
Another tail practising fat storage and thermoregulation for its bearer is that of a beaver. The semi-aquatic animal needs these functions based on the time of the year. While the body has fur, its tail is hairless and scaly, and the beaver slaps it against the surface of the water to signal danger. However, since the tail’s surface area is wide, the beaver can lose body heat while doing so in cold water. Interestingly, it doesn’t. This special appendage prevents excess heat from escaping through a process called countercurrent heat exchange that takes place at the base of its tail. The mechanism allows the beaver’s venous blood to warm up when needed. For beavers in hotter places, this feature allows them to lose body heat fast as well by cooling down their arterial blood. Now that’s a fun tale of a tail, right?
Tails for Social Signalling
An important aspect of communication among many animals is conducted using their tails. While the most known example is of a dog wagging its tail to express happiness or excitement, certain animals use their tails in interesting ways to express themselves.
Wolves live together in packs, which makes social signalling essential for them. A confident alpha holds its tail high as a clear sign of authority and dominance. In contrast, a submissive wolf tucks its tail between its legs and under its body, signalling non-aggression to other wolves of its pack. Such signs reinforce social hierarchy within the group.
When confronted with danger or rivals, some large monitor lizards are able to stand up on their hindlimbs to defend themselves. Their strong tails support their back legs for this position called the tripod stance. They also use this ability to closely monitor their surroundings, thus living up to their name.
Rattlesnakes are named after the sound that they create when they wish to drive away potential predators or threats. The “rattle” of this venomous snake is located at the tip of its tail and is composed of dried skin that makes a distinct sound when shaken. The species uses this rattle to warn aggressors that it is preparing to strike.
The diverse adaptations of tails across the animal kingdom highlights the intricate ways in which nature equips its creatures for life in the wild. These remarkable appendages are indispensable tools for navigating each unique environment. Tails, far from being mere additions on an animal’s body, are powerful instruments of their life, demonstrating the beauty and complexity of evolution.
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