Check out how some animals use their tails.
To Grab and Hold On
Opossums (also called possums) use their tails to grab and hold on to food and branches. Babies use their tails to hang upside down!
To Swat
Zebras, rhinos, and other animals keep bugs away with their powerful tails!
To Show Off
Some male birds, like turkeys, use their giant tails to attract female birds.
To Balance
Tails help some animals, like cats, balance as they run, leap, and climb.
Think and Write
Would you want a tail? What would you use it to do? Answer in a paragraph using details from the infographic.
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
Continue learning about animals and their interesting features in “Creatures of the Night,” an infographic about nocturnal animals.
Just as some animals have amazing tails, some animals have amazing tongues! Read “Wild Tongues” for interesting tongue facts. Did you know chameleons’ tongues can be feet long?
Learning about animals’ adaptations is pretty cool. Learn about translucent creatures in “This Frog Is See-Through!,” then have a debate with your class about whether they’d have a tail or be see-through!
