Squirrels live in trees. They have a long tail for their short body and they eat nuts.
The squirrel's tail does many things. First, when the sun gets hot, the squirrel holds its tail above its head like an umbrella.
Second, in the cold, the squirrel uses the tail as a warm blanket. Some squirrels even use their tails to fight with.
The most important use for the squirrel's tail is balance; with its tail for balancing, the squirrel can speed from branch to branch at over seventeen miles per hour.
