Posts tagged "bald"

Bald Penguin Covers Up For Chicks

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Aug 21st 2009 2:00PM Filed Under: Birds

Photo: Solent News & Photo Agency / REX USA

It's not easy being bald -- unless you're Ralph, a penguin who keeps his bare skin under wraps with a custom-fit wetsuit.

Every summer penguins molt, gradually shedding old feathers as a shiny new set comes in, People Pets reports. But for reasons unknown, Ralph's feathers all fall out at once, leaving him living in the buff at his Marwell Wildlife Center home in Winchester, England. Marwell animal information officer, Bill Hall, tells Paw Nation that the 10-year-old Humboldt penguin's skin is left unprotected and uninsulated, vulnerable to cold and sunburn. "It sounds silly that penguins could get a chill, but they may," he says.

Ralph has lived at Marwell for the last 3 years, and every year, he's dropped his feathers all at once. (Hall is trying to find out whether he did so at his last home in Germany, but hasn't been able to get to the bottom of it yet.) The past two years, zookeepers kept Ralph inside for a few weeks until his protective feathers grew in, but this year, that solution wouldn't do.

"This year he mated with a young lady called Coral," Hall told Paw Nation. "They have two chicks which they're rearing. We didn't want to remove Ralph from his parental responsibility."

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Bald Bird and Other Follicly Challenged Mammals

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Aug 4th 2009 3:00PM Filed Under: Birds, Exotic Pets, Photo Galleries

"Who are you calling ugly?" Photo: Iain Woxvold, University of Melbourne

Too bad there's no Hair Club for Animals. The bare-faced bulbul could use the help. Scientists recently discovered this new songbird species in the forests of Laos, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Unlike cardinals, bluebirds, and other sweet-faced songbirds, the bald little bulbul isn't much to look at. Scientists aren't sure why the birds lack feathers on their face and heads, but say it could have something to do with a mating ritual.

The bare-faced bulbul is the only bald songbird ever discovered in mainland Asia, but he's hardly the only member of the Animal Kingdom who's gone a little thin on top. Check out the gallery below for more bald animals.

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Animals Lacking Fur and Feathers

Made famous by Mr. Bigglesworth of "Austin Powers" fame, the hairless Sphynx is actually covered with a suede-like peach fuzz. The hairless kitties love to cuddle -- it helps them stay warm.

Moti Milrod, AP

Hairless Animals

Made famous by Mr. Bigglesworth of "Austin Powers" fame, the hairless Sphynx is actually covered with a suede-like peach fuzz. The hairless kitties love to cuddle -- it helps them stay warm.

Moti Milrod, AP

Rumor has it that the vulture's head is bald so the bird doesn't muss up its feathers while poking its head inside a delicious meal of scavenged carrion. But recently scientists have suggested that the vulture's bald head may actually help it regulate its body temperature.

Getty Images

The bald uakari of the Amazon jungle may look like an angry goblin, but its bright red face is actually considered a sign of good health.

Getty Images

Whoever said "bald is beautiful" clearly never met a naked mole rat. Thank goodness these rodents spend their lives in underground burrows in Africa -- we don't want to run into one in the light of day!

Julie Larsen Maher, WCS / AP

Kodogo could use a toupee! The male mountain gorilla lives in a national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But old age isn't to blame for his hairless crown; the silverback has been balding his whole life for reasons unknown.

BARM / Fame Pictures

Most ibises sport a proper head of feathers, but two ibis species -- northern bald ibises of the Middle East and southern bald ibises of Africa -- have naked noggins. This featherless chap is hardly a laughing stock, though. Ancient Egyptians worshiped ibises, bald heads and all.

Getty Images

The Mexican hairless dog breed has existed for more than 3,000 years. When Christopher Columbus landed in the New World, he wrote about the strange hairless dogs in his journal.

Getty Images

When Reggie the Hamadryas baboon was born at a British zoo back in 2005, his doting mother went a little overboard on the TLC. She licked Reggie so insistently that the baby monkey lost all the hair on the top of his head. Zookeepers assured the worried public that the hair would grow back.

SWNS

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Can't Miss Galleries

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Miniature Dogs

Miniature Poodle
Miniature Poodles, like all Poodles, are excellent swimmers who originated as a water retrievers. All Poodles, Standard, Miniature and Toy are actually one breed, just different sizes. Miniature Poodles, who can be white, black, apricot or gray, are usually 15 inches or under, according to the American Kennel Club.

David McKelvey/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmckelvey/3748491903/

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Dachshund
The Miniature Daschund, only 11 pounds or under, is not a separate classification of the Daschund -- it's just a smaller version of the Standard. The miniature dog, with its long bodies and strong sense of smell, are both hunters and lapdogs, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Schnauzer
The Miniature Schnauzer is of German descent and was originally bred to be a small farm dog. The most popular of the three Schnauzer breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer is a attentive, lively and a favorite among celebrities like Mary Tyler Moore and Bill Cosby. The strongly built miniature dog is between 12 to 14 inches, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Bull Terrier
Just like the playful Bull Terrier, the Miniature Bull Terrier, who originated in England, has a similar personality. Don't let its size fool you – the Miniature Bull Terrier is strong, energetic and audacious. Miniature Bull Terriers are between 10 to 15 inches and can be solid white or colored, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature American Eskimo Dog
The American Eskimo Dog is one of three separate categories of the American Eskimo Dog. Between 12 to 15 inches, the bright white dog is loving, protecting and sociable. Now a great companion dog, the miniature dog was once a circus dog, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs

Miniature Pinscher
Also known as the "Min Pin," the Miniature Pinscher is a German Breed whose ancestry includes the Daschund, Italian Greyhound and the shorthaired German Pinscher. The quick, curious dog is the perfect apartment dog. Despite its small size, the compact pooch makes a wonderful watchdog. The spirited miniature dog, about 10 inches to 12 1/2 inches, can be red, black, or chocolate with tan, according to the American Kennel Club.

Miniature Dogs