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Many millions of animals in the world have hair, and some of them are essential for survival, as they need it for warmth. However, some animals have a lot more hair than others, including some that we didn’t even expect. Here we will discover the hairy animals in the world, including a dog that uses its fur to blend in with sheep.
Alpine livestock
Native to the Scottish Highlands, the Highland cattle are among the most impressive and hairy. Well known for its majestic horns, the Highlands has been around for centuries and is one of the oldest recorded breeds. Their main and original coat color is deep red, thick, long and wavy. Highland cattle need their thick coat to protect them from the weather in their native Scotland, and it has two layers. The bottom layer is fluffy, while the outer layer is long and oily. Highland cattle also use their horns to feed in the snow. Although they were now imported to many countries around the world, the Highlands was originally used as a domestic cow by many small-scale farmers as they provided the family with a lot of milk and meat.
Angora rabbit
Angora rabbits are one of the oldest domestic rabbit species in the world. They are famous for their incredibly soft fluffy fur known as angora wool. Angoras originated in the region of modern Turkey before they were introduced to France in 1723. Their coats are incredibly soft and silky and are known for their cashmere-like properties. Healthy adult rabbits can grow approximately 1.2 inches per month. Angoras require regular grooming to keep their coats from matting, as this can cause discomfort or even infection. Most Angora need to be either plucked (a process that involves removing natural fibers) or trimmed every 90-120 days. This is to prevent a life-threatening disease that is caused by eating wool while grooming.
Silkie
Although Silkies have feathers, not hair, they still make the list for their incredibly soft and fluffy plumage. Also known as Chinese chickens, these little birds are so soft that they are often described as silk or satin to the touch. It is not known exactly where they came from, but they are extremely popular birds. Their calm nature makes them ideal even for small poultry farmers. Although they do not lay eggs every day, they are extremely good mothers due to their incubation rate and often hatch eggs belonging to much larger birds such as ducks or geese. Silk fabrics are mostly black, white, or tan and usually have five toes on each foot instead of the traditional four.
Musk ox
The musk ox is native to northern Canada and Greenland and has been reintroduced to Alaska, Norway, Russia and Sweden. These unusual herbivores are closer to sheep and goats than to bulls, and they have the longest hair of any animal, reaching almost 40 inches. Musk oxen have thick dark fur and curved horns on each side of their heads, giving them a fearsome appearance. They have two layers of hair, and the inner hair is called “kiwiut” – a very soft coat. This super soft layer is shed every spring and is softer and warmer than sheep’s wool. Their outer layer consists of long guard hairs to protect them from the harsh arctic conditions, and its length gives them an extremely shaggy appearance.
Afghan Hound
Afghan hounds are native to Afghanistan and are known for their very long, silky coats. They were bred for their thick coat so that they could survive in the cold mountain regions. Their coat can be of any color, and although it is thick, it is very soft and fine. The hair of Afghan hounds, like our own, is constantly growing and needs to be trimmed regularly. Afghan hounds are known as greyhounds. This means they can hunt using their superior vision and speed rather than relying on their sense of smell. Afghan hounds are known for their detached and dignified character.
Komondor
The Komondors, also known as the Hungarian Shepherd Dogs, are native to Hungary and have been declared one of the country’s national treasures to be protected. Komondors are large white dogs with tied coats, which is why they are often called “mops”. Their hair can be about 10 inches long and are among the heaviest dogs in the world. Komondors are most commonly used as guard dogs to protect livestock from predators. They have the ability to think and make their own decisions, and are also able to drive away bears and wolves. Their thick coat is essential for protection from the cold, predators and plants. The shaggy white fur of the Komondors also helps them blend in with herds of sheep and allows them to remain undetected in anticipation of predators.
Norwegian Forest Cat
Norwegian Forest Cats are domestic cats that originated in Europe. They are large cats with a fluffy tail and long legs, with a friendly and intelligent character. Norwegian forest cats have adapted to the cold climates in which they live and have a thick, two-layer coat. They have a thick and fluffy undercoat that provides insulation and a long and shiny outer coat. Their top layer is very thick and water-repellent, which helps them survive outdoors.
Sea otter
Sea otters are known to have the thickest fur of any animal and have around 900 million body hairs. They are some of the smallest marine mammals, but also the heaviest representatives of the weasel. (Mustelidae) a family. Although sea otters can live entirely in the ocean, they can also walk on land. Unlike other marine mammals, sea otters do not have a layer of subcutaneous fat (fat) to protect them. This means that they rely entirely on their fur to keep warm in cold water, and therefore they need such a thick coat. Sea otters live on the coasts of the North Pacific Ocean, and although their numbers were once large, they are now threatened with extinction.
Spotted Apatelodes
Spotted Apatelodes are extremely unusual as they are incredibly hairy in both the caterpillar and butterfly stages. These amazing insects live in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Caterpillars are completely covered with hair, they are white at a young age and bright yellow at maturity. At this stage, they also have long black tufts coming from behind the head and another one behind the caterpillar. In moths, spotted apatelodes are covered with thick fluffy hair and have black dots on each front wing. At rest, their body bends upward, giving the impression of a handstand.
Moon moth
Incredibly, moon moths are one of the hairiest animals ever, with nearly 10 billion hairs on their bodies. It is one of the largest butterflies found in North America, with an average wingspan of 4.5 inches. Moon moths have light green wings and white bodies and belong to the silk moth family. They have a thick layer of water-repellent hair-like scales, which means that dirt and water simply roll off them. Moon moths have no mouth and no digestive system. This means that they do not eat like adults and only live for one week.
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