'Vampire' Squirrel Has World's Fluffiest Tail

Science ^ | 30 June 2014 | Erik Stokstad

[nickcarraway]

[Charles Martel]

It's not clear why Rheithrosciurus needs so much tail...

Naah, too easy.

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

Local legends suggest that Rheithrosciurus, which is thought to mostly eat giant acorns, can be savage.

You'd be savage if others of your kind went around eating giant nuts, too.

Quick, somebody post that picture of the squirrel with big ones.

Thank you.

[Blood of Tyrants]

“mily Mae and her co-authors believe the bobbing mass of fur might confuse clouded leopards and other predators, or prevent them from getting a good grasp when they strike”

Wouldn’t it make more sense if the tail was small so as to not attract the attention of predators?

[Mears]

They need the tail to maintain balance.

.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Vorpal squirrel!

[Stormdog]

“Wouldn’t it make more sense if the tail was small so as to not attract the attention of predators?”

No, if a predator is going to attack, you would want the attack to be directed to the least vulnerable part of the body. And the way that the squirrel is built with all that fur on the tail, the predator probably won’t get as firm a grasp and thus allow the animal a chance to escape.

[ClearCase_guy]

RUST - Rodents of Unusually Sized Tails

[EEGator]

[Gen.Blather]

This is easy. The predator strikes at the tail, which allows the squirrel time to get away. My cat has a similar defensive mechanism, loose fur. I finally figured out why I sometimes collect enough fur in the vacuum to build a second cat. A predator lunges at her. She sprints away leaving a chaff fur image of herself behind. The predator strikes that and the cat is well and clear by the time it stops sneezing.

[EEGator]

I don’t think they exist...

[adorno]

Hunters say that the squirrels will perch on low branches, jump onto a deer, gash its jugular vein, and disembowel the carcass.

We may have finally identified Chupacabra.

[Blood of Tyrants]

But the tail can be so large as to attract more attention than is healthy.

[G Larry]

‘at’s no squirrel, mate!
‘at’s a rabbit taxi!

Its squirrel given a rabbit a ride to his next stop!

[rjsimmon]

[shove_it]

That’s why they’re called ‘bushy tailed’, not ‘fluffy tailed’.

[autumnraine]

Good Lord. Is thhat experiment 524 or something?

[Vendome]

Nice hat...

[Stormdog]

“But the tail can be so large as to attract more attention than is healthy.”

Well, maybe it’s a trade off. At some point the squirrel’s going to get on somebody’s radar regardless.

[Migraine]

You mean the R.O.U.S.?