Bald animals: what does an animal that is deprived of hair face? (8 photos)

Most animals are very attached to their fur, and if they lose their fur, the consequences will be extremely unpleasant.





Dude, I feel bad asking, but can you throw me some underwear?

It's pointless to even talk about northern animals - they're screwed right away. Loss of thermal insulation can be a problem even on relatively warm August nights, and in the middle of winter it's easy to get frostbite on furry parts of the body. That's why in temperate and northern latitudes you have almost no chance of meeting a bald wild animal.



12 years ago, a completely bald deer was discovered in America. Of course, it did not survive the winter.

In the south, bald animals can hold out for some time, but their fate will be hard and unenviable. Wool is not only thermal insulation, but also protection. Color is used as camouflage, and fur is a barrier against mechanical damage. It will be extremely difficult for a pink tiger to hunt in the lush jungle. A hedgehog and a porcupine without needles turn into an accessible snack for anyone who wants one. And a mole will scratch its tender belly on stones and roots when it makes passages.





There is nothing sadder in the world than a bald hedgehog...

And you know what the saddest thing is? There are no fewer reasons for hair loss in animals than in humans. Wounds, fungal infections, parasites and hormonal imbalances can lead to sudden baldness at any moment. And, in turn, throw the sick animals out of the evolutionary race.



The bald aardvark is also in great danger. The fur protects its delicate skin from sunburn. No fur - there are burns.

As if that were not enough, alopecia can be caused by bad genetics. Genes that cause congenital baldness are passed down through generations. Therefore, bald animals can be born even to normal parents. These genes are part of the genetic load - a set of harmful traits that cause diseases and complicate the life of individual organisms in the population. It is impossible to completely get rid of the genetic load, so each newborn plays roulette, with his life at stake.



Animals that are found bald have a chance to survive only if a person shelters them.

In addition, even more unobvious factors can lead to baldness. For example, the wrong choice of food. In the habitat of the ring-tailed lemur, the light-headed leucaena grows, the fruits of which the animals eat from time to time. But if the primate eats too much, the chemicals contained in the fruit will cause it to go bald! This process is reversible, but will the animal have time to live until its hair is restored?



One lemur is thinking about whether to eat some leucaena fruits. The second one has already eaten something.

And, of course, we shouldn't forget about stress. Not only you and I are subject to it, but all animals in general. Gross mistakes in captivity or encounters with poachers can leave a deep mark on the psyche. As a result, the fur leaves the chat. For example, this is what happened to the bear Cholita. She was kidnapped as a cub from her natural habitat and sold to a circus. Only 10 years later, the clubfoot was rescued by the zoo. And after another 8 years, Cholita ended up in a reserve, where she spent the rest of her life.



Despite the fact that Cholita lived in good conditions for the last few years, her fur never recovered. The bear remained bald forever.

One of the few species in which baldness does not have a strong impact on survival is the chimpanzee, our closest relative! It lives in warmth, does not need protection from minor injuries and abrasions, so fur is not necessary for it. Bald males and females are accepted into monkey groups on common terms, participate equally with everyone in the struggle for power and can even become alphas! This is what happened with the primates Jumbo and Mongo in the zoo in England.



On the left is Jumbo. On the right is Mongo. Interestingly, the father outlived his son: Mongo died of a viral infection during a routine checkup.

Due to alopecia, Jumbo lost his body hair by the age of two. The hairless primate was not only accepted into the group of his relatives, he became its leader! After some time, he became a father. His cub Mongo also lost his fur several years after birth. But the pumped-up ladies' man, flexing his muscles on his hairless body, turned out to be very popular with females!