17 Types of Animals With Tails

Animals With TailsPin
Photo by Bulat Khamitov on Pexels

You could see animals with tails of varying sizes around the United States and other nations worldwide.

There are many different species of animals with tails in the world, ranging in size from small shrews to enormous polar bears.

As you might have guessed, this is the subject our article will discuss.

To learn more about these animals, keep reading.

1. Black Spider Monkey

Black Spider MonkeyPin
by Marie Hale is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Black Spider Monkey is first on our list of animals with tails. Its long, prehensile tail can swing between trees high in the canopy. 

Their tail alone measures between 24 and 32 inches (61 and 81 cm), while the length of their bodies varies between 16 and 24 inches (41 and 61 cm).

In other words, at least 50% of their total body length comes from their tail!

Black spider monkeys can be found in the tropical and subtropical jungles of Central and Eastern South America.

Although South America is home to six species of spider monkeys, black spider monkeys are among the biggest.

They go by the “red-faced spider monkey” moniker because of their red face and fluffy black fur.

The face of young monkeys is first dark and eventually turns red.

Fruit makes up the majority of their diet, especially during the rainy season, but they also eat leaves, flowers, and seeds.

2. Polar Bear

Polar BearPin
Photo by 358611 on Pixabay

Polar bears are also one of the animals with tails. They have small, rounded ears and short, rounded tails.

These characteristics help them maintain body heat and survive in arctic conditions.

Polar bears are the largest bears on earth and the dominant predator in the Arctic. They stand on their hind legs and are ten feet tall.

Their short tails, long claws, additional coat of fur, and substantial layer of fat all help them survive.

3. Ring-tailed Lemur

Ring-Tailed LemurPin
by Andy Hay is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The well-known Ring-tailed Lemur may be identified by its long, crowded tails, which feature a distinctive alternating black-and-white ring pattern.

These animals with tails have black rings around their eyes and black nostrils, giving them raccoon-like bodies and facial features. They have a light tan and gray fur.

Lemurs have a body length of 41 inches (104 cm) from head to tail, and the average length of their tails is about 24 inches (61 cm).

They utilize their non-prehensile tails to balance while climbing trees and to communicate while on the go.

Additionally, they use their tails as a visual aid so troop mates may see one another as they move.

Tropical woodlands in Madagascar’s southern area are home to ring-tailed lemurs.

They prefer to feed and sleep in the forest canopy, although they also spend much time on the ground.

Their primary food sources include invertebrates, bark, flowers, and insects.

4. Red Kangaroo

Red KangarooPin
by No Dust is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The tails of red kangaroos are bulky and lengthy. Adult males can reach a height of 5.8 feet (1.8 meters), making them taller than females.

Their 3.3-foot (1-meter) tails account for roughly half of their body length. The strong kangaroo tail is an extra leg to conserve balance and energy.

Males and females don’t have the same coloration, with the exception of both having tan to cream-colored bellies.

Females have blue-gray fur, whereas males have orangish-red fur. They may be distinguished from other kangaroo species thanks to distinctive white skin spots.

Mainland Australia’s grasslands, deserts, and forests are home to red kangaroos. All year long, these kangaroos reproduce.

Females have a special reproductive ability known as embryonic diapause that enables them to postpone giving birth until their current baby has emerged from the womb.

These animals with tails can survive without much water when it is scarce, which helps them adapt to their dry surroundings.

They are herbivores and mostly consume Forbes, grasses, and leaves.

5. Grizzly Bear

Grizzly BearsPin
by USFWS Mountain Prairie is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Grizzly bears have short tails, like other bear species and polar bears.

These ferocious predators exist all over North America, Russia, Asia, Scandinavia, and Europe.

These enormous bears also have a muscle hump on their shoulders that helps them dig out their dens or find food.

These animals with tails were once more widespread across North America, but habitat destruction has reduced their numbers.

6. Pangolin

Pangolins - Animals That Eat AntsPin
by flowcomm is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Pangolins belong to the Manidae family’s Manis genus. Pangolins come in eight different species.

Depending on the species, their length can vary from 12 to 60 inches (30 to 152 cm).

Their tails, which can grow to a maximum length of 28 inches (71 cm), account for over half of their size.

Pangolins have characteristics similar to armadillos, including the ability to coil up into a ball and use their hard, scaly shell as armor.

They protect themselves by encircling their bodies with their tails, aiding their balance.

Pangolins have extremely long, sticky tongues in addition to long tails. They use it to access tiny crevices and eat termites and ants.

Southeast Asian woods and grasslands are home to pangolins.

7. Indian Giant Squirrel

Indian Giant SquirrelPin
by Hari K Patibanda is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Indian Giant squirrel, often called the Malabar Giant Squirrel, is a species of arboreal squirrel that inhabits India’s tropical woods.

They have a long, bushy tail roughly the same length as their body and can go as big as 10-18 inches (25-46 cm).

They mostly balance themselves while climbing and leaping between trees using their tail.

They can leap enormous distances between the branches of trees, where they spend most of their time relaxing and feeding. Their diet consists of fruits, insects, flowers, and nuts.

They are very different from other common squirrels in size and color.

With a reddish-brown head, a cream-to-tan colored underbelly, and a black body with reddish-maroon coloration in the center of the back, they have a distinctive coloration pattern. They have bluish-black tails.

8. South American Coati 

South American CoatiPin
by Jevgenijs Slihto is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The South American coati is an arboreal mammal in South America’s tropical and subtropical climates. They reside in wooded places and along forest borders.

Coatis have a distinctive appearance with a broad, pig-like snout and a long, ring-patterned tail.

Their tail, which may grow to a maximum length of 27 inches (69 cm), is just as long as their body.

These animals with tails typically use their tails for balance and visual cues because they are not prehensile.

Coatis use their tails to maintain the cohesiveness of their troop while foraging through dense undergrowth.

They have shades of gray, brown, red, and light tan fur. They are omnivores and enjoy eating fruit, insects, small mammals, and bird eggs. 

Coatis turn over boulders and crack open logs with razor-sharp front claws to find food. Fruit is in season when mating takes place.

9. Giant Anteater 

Giant Anteaters - Animals With TrunksPin
by agirlnamednee is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Giant Anteater is the largest of the four species of anteaters. With a 3 ft (91 cm) long, fluffy tail, they have large bodies that can grow up to 8 ft (2.4 m).

Due to their relatively short legs, they rely on their tails to aid in balance.

Giant anteaters have long tails, long snouts, and an even longer 2 ft (61 cm) tongue for devouring termites and ants.

Only the front legs are white, and they have distinct color traits. Their remaining body is a mixture of gray, black, and brown tones.

A threatened species, giant anteaters have lost certain populations in some parts of their range.

They live in the grasslands and tropical forests of Central and South America.

10. Shrew

Shrews are a widespread mammal in North America. Although they resemble mice, their large noses allow for differentiation.

Shrews, another widespread species with a short tail, are vicious feeders.

These tiny animals with tails consume a variety of prey both during the day and at night. They will consume lizards, spiders, snakes, and earthworms.

The short-tailed shrew, pygmy shrew, and masked shrew are a few of the shrew species that can be found in North America.

11. Banner-tailed Kangaroo

Banner-tailed KangarooPin
by ashleytisme is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

The Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat is a desert survivor who lives in the grasslands and sand deserts of western America.

These rodents have a long tail, long hind legs, a huge head, and a small body. 

They reach a height of 3.5–5.5 inches (9–14 cm). Their tails can grow to 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) and are usually at least as long as their bodies.

Kangaroo rats can jump large distances to avoid predators thanks to the springiness of their hind legs and the assistance of their tails for balance.

They have white marks that help them blend in with their surroundings and are varied in brown colors.

They have a relatively limited lifespan of 2 to 5 years and spend most of their time living in burrows.

These little critters have pouches on their cheeks to transport desert grass seeds back to their burrows.

12. Peafowl 

Common Peafowl - Types of Animals With Feathers  Pin
by wuestenigel is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Indian Peafowl, a peacock, is next on our list of animals with tails. It has a stunningly long train of tail feathers. 

Even though they have a common moniker, only males are peacocks. Peahens is the term used to describe females, and peafowl is used to describe both.

Peafowls range in size from 35 to 50 inches (89 to 127 cm) in length, and their train of tail feathers, which may measure up to 5 feet (1.5 m) in length, is referred to as a train.

Peacocks rapidly shake their bodies and spread their brightly sheened feathers to entice peahens.

Peafowls feature eye-like designs on their train and vivid green and blue feathers.

Although they can be found worldwide, they are indigenous to India and Sri Lanka.

In the 19th century, they were consciously brought to the United States.

They can live up to 20 years and devour insects, plants, and other tiny animals for food.

13. Common Thresher Shark

Thresher Shark - Fish With Big EyesPin
by kris-mikael.krister is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Common Thresher Shark, sometimes known as a Sea Fox, can be found in many large bodies of water, including those off the shores of North America and Asia.

These animals with tails rarely venture very far out to sea, preferring to stay along the shore.

Smaller thresher sharks are about 5 feet (1.5 meters) long, but they can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) long.

Their large caudal fin takes up up to half of their complete length.

Predators whip and stun victims with their tail fins as they swat sardines from shoals.

14. Sheep

Sheep - Animals With 5 LettersPin
by mhaller1979 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A typical domesticated mammal found in many nations worldwide is sheep. Although they are also utilized for their meat, these animals are principally raised for their wool. 

Sheep are closely related to goats but differ because they are stockier and produce thicker wool. In the wild, sheep cover their wool with hair. 

The species’ males grow horns frequently and are known as rams. Sheep have long, skinny legs, short tails, and thick white fleece on top of hoofed hooves.

15. Giant Panda

Giant Panda - Different Types of BearsPin
Photo by OyeHaHa on Pixabay

A rare animal species found in China’s southwest is the giant panda.

These huge animals with tails are distinguished by a black-and-white color pattern, along with short, rounded ears and tails.

Pandas must consume a substantial amount of food each day, mostly bamboo.

While fully developed adult pandas can weigh between 220 and 330 pounds, newborn pandas are relatively small, weighing only a few ounces.

16. Rabbit

RabbitPin
by USFWS Mountain Prairie is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Rabbits are last on our list of animals with tails. 2hixh are frequently seen in the wild and are widely favored as pets.

They are widespread worldwide and may be recognized by their long ears and short, fluffy tails.

Typically, these tails resemble cotton balls. Even though hares are a separate species and typically much larger than rabbits, hares are commonly mistaken for rabbits. 

The ears of hares are often longer. When encountered in the wild, rabbits may take refuge in yard waste, shrubs, or underground burrows.

17. Chinchilla

Chinchilla - Amazing Animals That HopPin
by Filipe.Ramos is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Large rodents known as chinchillas have very short tails despite having one of the longest tails of any animal on this list.

These creatures have gray tails and spherical bodies with gray fur.

Because they are gregarious animals, chinchillas frequently live in big groups in the wild.

It has even been discovered that these groupings may accommodate up to 100 chinchillas at once.

There are chinchillas with long and short tails. The short-tailed have shorter tails than their long-tailed cousins, as the name would imply.

These rodents are widespread in South American high regions, particularly the Andes Mountains. And this comes last on our list of animals with tails.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like