These 15 Animals Without Hair Are
Barely Recognizable
Humans are not the only ones who suffer from hair loss. Whether caused by disease or old age, this
condition can affect our animal friends, too.
Hair loss from the head or body is technically called alopecia. It can have many different causes, such
as natural processes (seasonality or aging), biological dysfunctions (vitamin or mineral imbalance),
genetic mutations, diseases or parasitic infestations. Some dogs, cats, rats and guinea pigs were even
bred to be hairless by humans.
Luckily, the weird animals from our list below don’t seem to mind their hair, fur or feather loss. What do
you think – are these hairless animals still just as cute as with their furs and feathers?
Hairless Rabbit
This cute bunny was born in 2009 and he instantly became an Internet sensation for being bald.
Fortunately, after three months he grew his first coat and turned out to be as normal as
his fluffy siblings.
Hairless Bear
Dolores the bear is among other female bears that were affected by sudden hair loss at a zoo
in Leipzig, Germany. Some experts believe this was caused by a genetic defect, though the animals
do not seem to be suffering from any other afflictions.
Hairless Hedgehog
Meet Betty, the cute bald hedgehog-ette from Foxy Lodge rescue center, UK. She is a healthy and
absolutely fine critter apart from being bald, the cause of which is unknown.
Hairless Parrot
Oscar was a 35-year-old Moluccan cockatoo female that suffered from a condition affecting birds – Beak and Feather Disease. She would pluck her own feathers because they would irritate her so much
Hairless Raccoon
These mammals sometimes might develop a parasitic infestation (mange or fungal infection) that
cause their hair to fall out. This is quite a common phenomenon in wildlife.
Hairless Squirrel
Bald squirrels are not that uncommon; their hair loss is usually related to an illness caused by mites.
Hairless Guinea Pig
The Skinny Pig is a hairless breed of guinea pig. Judging by their pink skin, there’s no need to explain
Hairless Penguin
This bald baby penguin was born without feathers and was rejected by his parents at an aquarium in
China’s Liaoning Province. Workers at the aquarium decided that the baby penguin’s lack of feathers
and weak condition was due to difficulties digesting food and absorbing nutrition. Thanks to his
keepers, the bird managed to grow a feathery coat and was successfully re-introduced to its family.
Hairless Rat
Hairless rats are produced by breeding different combinations of genes. On the other hand, hairless
lab rats provide researchers with valuable data on compromised immune systems and genetic kidney
diseases
Hairless Chimpanzee
Chimpanzees, like other monkeys, apes and humans, sometimes suffer from alopecia – an illness that
can make them lose hair from all over the body. These poor creatures attract many visitors to zoos.
Hairless Dog
These are Peruvian hairless dogs. Machu Picchu (the 4-months-old pup in the picture above) was
offered to as a pet to U.S. President Barack Obama. He promised his daughters a new pet for the
White House, but the dog had to be hypoallergenic because one of them is allergic to most dog
breeds. Peruvian hairless dogs are said to be perfect for sensitive people due to their lack of hair.
Hairless Wombat
Meet Karmann – an orphaned baby wombat from Australia. Wombats are supposed to stay in their
mother’s pouch until they are seven months old. However, poor Karmann was rescued from the pouch
of her dying mother at 3 months old, so she is hairless. She is being cared for at a wildlife shelter in
Melbourne.
Hairless Baboon
The bald baboon female was spotted in Zimbabwe’s countryside. The animal might have lost its hair
due to alopecia. However, this hairless baboon was spotted in the wild, so the cause of its baldness is
unknown.
Hairless Kangaroo
This tiny creature is Sabrina, a female kangaroo who was abandoned by her mother at the Serengeti-
Park in Germany. These animals do not develop hair until they emerge from the mother’s pouch. The
hairless Sabrina always had to be carried close to a warm body or wrapped up in a blanket to keep her
warm.
Hairless Hamster
Hairless Syrian hamsters lack fur due to a genetic disorder. Hairless hamster pups are only born to parents with the hairless gene, so they aren’t supposed to breed
