What's the purpose of tails in animals?

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   WebbyAvatarposted 15 years ago

   Any idea?

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      AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I have never thought about the purpose in animals but on animals it is for balance just like whiskers on a cat.

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   cosetteposted 15 years ago

   
   
   great question! i never thought about it actually.
   
   hmm...
   
   i know some critters like monkeys use them to grab onto tree branches and whatnot.

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   Poppa Bluesposted 15 years ago

   They are for balance.

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      WebbyAvatarposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      And, some animals really have short tail.

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         Poppa Bluesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Yes it's a counter balance. If you think about it, it's no different than the way we use are arms and legs while playing sports.

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      pddm67posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      That's what I've heard too

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   cosetteposted 15 years ago

   i have heard of elephants holding tails when they are walking, or is that just in cartoons?

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      Poppa Bluesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      They're quite smart and can be trained to do many things. That behaviour is typical in circus elephants while they are being marched to the site.

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         cosetteposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         oh. that's where i've seen that.
         
         rattlesnakes use their tails as a warning that they are about to strike.
         
         and like cats, bunnies use their whiskers to measure the size of a space they want to squeeze into. the only purpose i can see for their little cottontails is just to be cute

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   kmackey32posted 15 years ago

   To cover there butt whole. ha

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      atilposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Whiskers are for balance, tails? This is the correct answer!

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         kmackey32posted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Everytime I try to be funny I am right.

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   kkavyaposted 15 years ago

   I saw i TV that " hippopotomos" gave warning to other hippos thats its his territory and he just spread his " pee" in all corners using his tail.

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   Poppa Bluesposted 15 years ago

   OKay I was omly partly right but here is a better explanation:
   
   http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-pur … nimals.htm

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      WebbyAvatarposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      That explains much

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   Poppa Bluesposted 15 years ago

   What is doesn't explain is why guys are always chasing tail!

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   kmackey32posted 15 years ago

   The real answer is while some animals use there tails for balance, not all do. Some animals have tails so they can use them to hang from trees serving as an extra hand. Cows, zebras, an Elephans have tails to swat at annoying flys. Fish have tails for swimming. A lizard has a tail for defense.

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      Poppa Bluesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      That doesn't answer my question!

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    Lady Guinevereposted 15 years ago

    Cat Whiskers are for knowing how small an area they can get into.

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       AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for the info a friend of mine told me it was to keep balance and direction I didn't know that it was also for them to figure out how to fit into a small space, she also owns a cat.

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    Rochelle Frankposted 15 years ago

    Horses use them to swat flies.
    Dogs use them to signal happiness, excitement and anticipation.
    Some deer have black and white tails which make a good, visible signal for their youngsters to follow when they run.

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    habeeposted 15 years ago

    Some dogs, especially swimming breeds like the Portuguese Water Dog, use their tails as rudders when swimming.

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    blondepoetposted 15 years ago

    To keep their bottoms from hitting the ground.

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       prettydarkhorseposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       LOL, so that they become sexy when they walk, and their butt swing too with a nice sway...

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          blondepoetposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Haha that's right.

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    ralwusposted 15 years ago

    Fly swatters! They don't wipe and dogs need them to wag as they smile.

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