Bare bears baffle zookeepers with baldness
It’s a startling sight: a female bear, bald all over her body
except for a crown of hair on her head and a few tufts on her chest.
Poor Dolores must be feeling naked after losing her fur coat -- an
ordeal made all the more un-bear-able as thousands of people crowd a
German zoo to get a peek at her.
Dolores isn’t the only furless bear at this Liepzig zoo -- all
three females have mysteriously lost their coats, while the males
remain unaffected.
Experts say the hair loss could be caused by a genetic defect. They are in
treatment right now, but it goes through different phases of intensity, according to Leipzig Zoo
spokesperson Melanie Ginzel who told German news source The Local. She says that experts are investigating the problem.
At this time of year, as winter closes in, these South American
Andean bears would normally be growing a thick coat to keep them warm.
But according to Ginzel, the bald bears won’t suffer through the cold
despite their wrinkly vulnerability.
“The bears are allowed to move where they please, and have a warm interior enclosure they can go to any time.”
Stephanie Rogers is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where this post originally appeared.
More from Mother Nature Network
- Lazarus species
- Scientists perform sex change operation on papaya
- What do you get when you cross a polar bear with a grizzly?
- Kenya's Maasai tribesmen recruited as lion guardians
- Meet the skunk whisperer
You do not appear to have Yahoo! Messenger installed. Click here to download and install it.
- Subscribe to Y! Green Featured Articles
- Subscribe to Y! Green News
Past Blog Entries
- Search for Loch Ness Monster nets 100,000 golf balls
- 10 ways to catch germs over the holidays
- Bare bears baffle zookeepers with baldness
- Giant jellyfish sinks 10-ton Japanese ship
- 10 tasty flu-fighting foods
Leave a Comment:
You must first sign in.
More Green Stories
-
Slow-cooker side dishes for Thanksgiving
These recipes will delight guests -- and leave the cook with time to mingle.
-
10 ways to catch germs over the holidays
Parties and family gatherings mean more chances to catch up -- and catch a cold.
-
Too much of a good thing
Aren't there some things that you just can't have too much of? Not really.
comments from our community
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 comments
Post Comment