Baldness is, for some humans, an unavoidable condition written in their genes. It’s a fate that medicine has tried to combat. However, in the animal world, many species depend on their fur to hide from predators or to retain heat, while others need to live this way to continue existing.
Humans are often described as “hairless primates,” and while it is partly true, it is also partly false. We are not the only mammals that share this characteristic. Whether due to evolution or mutation, some species, perhaps not endowed with natural beauty, are devoid of fur covering their skin.
Only these animals can have baldness
The following species are examples of how nature adapts survival characteristics for different purposes to each individual that inhabits the Earth and the sea.
Cetacea
Cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, have existed for more than 30 million years. Their lack of hair is due to being aquatic animals. The replacement for this lack is a layer of fat that is covered by their skin.
Elephant
The most hairy part of an elephant’s body is the tuft at the end of its tail. For temperature control, elephants have dispensed with hair-covered skin. Since these large animals live in warm environments, their main problem is staying cool, so it is easier to lose excess heat through their thick skin than through a layer of hair.
Crested dog
Some animals are bald by nature; others, due to various modified genetic factors. Such is the case of the Chinese Crested Dog, which, despite its name, is believed to have originated in Africa, perhaps as a result of crossbreeding with the Mexican Xoloitzcuintli species.
Naked mole-rat
The naked mole-rat lives underground, so it doesn’t need a fur coat to protect itself from the sun. Its body temperature is determined by its environment rather than by homeostasis. In fact, naked mole-rats have around 100 fine hairs on their bodies, which act as sensory aids to perceive their surroundings. They also have hairs between their toes, making it easier for them to dig tunnels.
This story was written in Spanish in Ecoosfera.
