nature center notes
An Eastern hellbender relies on its tail to navigate through fast-moving mountain streams /SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT
The tale of tails
By Jordon Crawford Special to WNC Parent
Think about your pets: What do they do with their tails? Does your friendly dog wag his tail when you play with him? Does your cat use her tail to balance on thin structures? Does your goldfish move its tail back and forth when swimming? The answer is usually “yes.” Most vertebrate animals have very useful tails that serve a variety of functions in their everyday lives. Wild animals have very different functions for their tails. For example, a red fox doesn’t need to grasp a tree branch like an opossum, but it might need to wrap its tail around its body for warmth. Opossums have prehensile tails, which allow them to grip onto trees and branches while they move through the forest. Tails are also used for movement in aquatic animals like fish and aquatic salamanders. An Eastern hellbender, the largest salamander in North America, relies on its tail to navigate through fast-moving mountain streams. Tails have protective functions, too. Some lizard species can actually detach their tails to get away from predators, and the tail will grow back within a few weeks or months. For more fun with tails, the WNC Nature Center’s Holiday Tails event on Dec. 7 features holiday crafts, games, and animal programs — and you might even see some animal tails up close! Visit www.wncnaturecenter.com.
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