Image: Jonathan Kitchen / Photodisc / Getty Images
About This Quiz
Do you know what human fingers and giraffe fur have in common? Or which carnivorous canine's coat changes color with the seasons? Talk about one crazy hair day!
Outside of just making them look cute, an animal's hair has quite a lot to of-fur. One of the main purposes is to provide warmth, such as with the thick coats of yaks and mountain goats. Many mammals, like sloths, have hair that acts as the perfect camouflage, while other critters rely on their coats for protection against predators (such as porcupines). Some of the specifics about fur still remain a mystery, such as the exact reason for a zebra's black-and-white (or is it white-and-black?) striped coat.In the past, humans relied on the fur of animals they'd killed for food for a variety of purposes. During these times, humans practiced conservation with their limited resources, using these hides to make clothing, blankets, shoes, teepees and more.Â
Thanks to modern technology, humans today have a much wider range of fur-free textiles, like cotton and polyester. Unfortunately, certain animal pelts still manage to make headlines in luxury fashion, which can be detrimental for those species (such as mink and chinchilla). But FURtunately, material made from synthetic fibers can be used to create faux fur and offers solutions for such styles!
Think you have what it takes to spot the differences in these 40 mammals just from a closeup of their fur? Test your animal kingdom knowledge and find out if you're a (hair)cut above the rest!
Horse
Antelope
Giraffe
Did you know humans have something in common with giraffes? Just like our fingerprints, a giraffe's spots are unique to them and different from any other pattern. Giraffes spend most of their lives standing.
Cow
Advertisement
Puma
Cheetah
At the end of her pregnancy, a female cheetah typically gives birth to two to eight cubs at a time. While a cheetah may be fast, it usually can only run at its top speed for roughly one minute.
Tiger
Jaguar
Advertisement
Zebra
Did you know that the exact reason for a zebra's stripes is still unknown? Their are two main theories: one is to look like an optical illusion and confuse predators, and the other theory is to deter flies from bothering them.
Bongo
Nyala
Panda
Advertisement
Golden cat
Leopard
Tiger
One thing a tiger certainly isn't shy about is its roar! A tiger's roar can be heard from as far as two miles away. Cheetahs aren't the only quick cat, as tigers can reach speeds of nearly 40 mph.
Lion
Advertisement
Deer
Wildebeest
Tapir
Antelope
There are a total of 90 different types of antelope. As a herbivore, an antelope's diet is primarily made up of grass and leaves, and antelopes have been known to follow rain in search of fresher grass.
Advertisement
Llama
Sheep
One pound of wool can be enough to create roughly 10 miles of yarn. Sheep have nearly 360-degree vision, meaning they are able to see at roughly all angles. Talk about keeping an eye on things!
Alpaca
Elk
Advertisement
Otter
Prairie dog
Guinea pig
Beaver
A beaver's fur is made up of two layers (an outer and an inner). The outer layer is much longer and more coarse hair, while the inner layer is fine hair that acts as a barrier against water to keep the beaver dry while swimming.
Advertisement
White-tailed deer
When most baby deer, or fawns, are born, they will be covered in white spots. These spots help to camouflage fawns and protect them against predators. Every year, a male deer will shed his antlers and grow new ones.
Nilgai
Chital
Barbary sheep
Advertisement
Anteater
Macaque
Sloth
Ever wonder why a sloth may appear to look greenish in color? On top of hair, a sloth's fur is typically covered in an assortment of algae and fungi, which help to camouflage the mammal.
Lemur
Advertisement
Red giant flying squirrel
Flying squirrels can be found in three continents: Europe, Asia and North America. They may be hard to spot because these animals use an amazing membrane to glide from tree to tree, but if you could find them all, be on the lookout for all 43 different subspecies!
Hammer-headed bat
Vampire bat
Kitti's hog-nosed bat
Advertisement
Groundhog
Mole
Marmot
Chipmunk
You may recognize a chipmunk from its iconic fluffy tail, which is typically between 3 - 5 inches in length. To survive the frigid winter months, a chipmunk will spend most of the time burrowed underground and only resurface several times to eat.
Advertisement
Coyote
Red fox
A baby fox is known as a kit, and when born is covered in dark gray fur. Within a month, a kit will grow its new coat to become the staple red color. Kits make eight unique vocal sounds to communicate, while adult red foxes have 12.
Raccoon dog
Dhole
Advertisement
Chinchilla
Hamster
Porcupine
Hedgehog
No need to fear these spikes! While a porcupine's quills are poisonous and thus a threat to humans, the quills of a hedgehog are not barbed and mostly hollow to give their coat strength.
Advertisement
Cow
While you may commonly recognize this animal to be a cow, there are technically certain rules to the different names for types of bovines. For instance, a "cow" is a female bovine that has already birthed at least one calf.
Buffalo
Moose
Yak
Advertisement
Donkey
Horse
Did you know a horse is able to see better during the nighttime than a human? Horses have nearly 360-degree vision along with having the largest eyes compared to other land mammals.
Zebra
Mule
Advertisement
Bull
Ox
Yak
A yak's fur is what helps keep the animal protected against different temperatures. Their coat is even thick enough that yaks are able to swim in practically frozen water without risk of freezing.
Bison
Advertisement
Cheetah
Jaguar
A jaguar's orange fur is covered in an assortment of black spots that resemble roses, which appropriately gives these spots the name "rosettes." Jaguars are known for living solitary lifestyles.
Snow leopard
Cougar
Advertisement
Harp seal
Sheep
Mountain goat
Polar bear
Did you know a polar bear's fur is not white, but translucent in color? The hair covering a polar bear's body is hollow and helps the animal to reflect sunlight and thus blend in better with the winter wonderland these animals call home.
Advertisement
Arctic fox
While you may know the arctic fox to be coated in fluffy white fur, the color of their hair actually changes with the seasons. Arctic foxes are the only canines known to have this color-changing ability throughout the year.
Snow leopard
Wolf
Ermine
Advertisement
Cougar
Lion
A male lion's mane gets bigger the healthier it is, which in turn may help to attract female lions. If a lion wants to be heard, he'll make sure he's heard! A lion's roar can be heard from as far as five miles away.
Caracal
Serval
Advertisement
Jackrabbit
Snow leopard
Cow
Dalmatian
A dalmatian's spots are typically brown or black in color, though some have even been known to be yellow or blue. Their spots are located all over their bodies — even inside their mouths!
Advertisement
Jaguar
Leopard
Puma
Ocelot
Did you know that ocelots are rather picky eaters? These little felines will even go as far as taking the time to get rid of their prey's fur and/or feathers before they can actually enjoy the meal.
Advertisement
Culpeo
African wild dog
The scientific name for African wild dogs, "Lycaon pictus," literally translated means "painted wolf." This is in reference to the animal's spotted fur, which is decorated in black, brown, white and yellow colors.
Jackal
Coyote
Advertisement
Possum
While possums may commonly get a bad rap for being "gross," they are actually incredibly helpful in controlling the spreading of Lyme disease. These mammals can eat up to 4,000 ticks in just one week!
Badger
Rat
Squirrel
Advertisement
Wallaby
Wombat
Koala
Echidna
Like hedgehogs, the quills of an echidna are hollow and barbless. While echidnas are mammals, they give birth to their young by laying eggs. The spines of an echidna grow as long as two inches.
Advertisement
Cow
Panda
Did you know that pandas are born pink and just about the same length as a pencil? Instead of hibernating, pandas simply travel toward warmer temperatures (typically venturing down a mountain).
Polar bear
Zebra
Advertisement
Rabbit
Skunk
Badger
A badger's coarse fur coat is comprised of black, brown, white and even gold hair. Most of these animals are omnivores, and their primary diet consists of earthworms, eggs of ground-nesting birds and spider larvae.
Otter
Advertisement
Mandrill
These animals are known for having a vibrant coat. A mandrill's fur is olive-green in color, though male mandrills also have a yellow/orange-colored beard. When born, a baby mandrill instantly clings to its mother's fur.
Chimpanzee
Sooty mangabey
Macaque
Advertisement
Bongo
African wild dog
Tiger
Striped hyena
There are four different types of hyenas (spotted, striped and brown hyenas and the aarwolf), with the striped hyena spanning across the largest amount of living area. These mammals have a range from the northern regions of Africa to those in southern Siberia.
Advertisement
Ferret
Cat
Raccoon
Did you know that raccoons and athletes have something in common? Just like athletes smear black paint under their eyes to absorb the sunlight and prevent glare, the black "mask" of a raccoon helps these animals do the same.
Lemur
Advertisement
Quoll
There are six different species of quoll. The thick hairs that make up a quoll's fur coat can be gray, black or brown, though the fur will always be dotted with spots of white patches.
Hyena
Crocuta
Cheetah
Advertisement
Mongoose
Field mouse
Ferret
As domesticated animals, the ferrets we know and love as pets come in a wide variety of colors, including cinnamon, chocolate and even albino. A group of these animals is known as a "business."
Weasel
Advertisement
Zebra
Wildebeest
Antelope
Okapi
Did you know that okapis have a special way of communicating that can't be heard by humans? Female okapis can reach their calves even in lush, thick forests by producing a 14-hertz sound.
Advertisement
Spotted skunk
While skunks are commonly known for being striped, some of these animals can be spotted or even coated in swirled-patterned fur. There are four different species of spotted skunks alone.
Raccoon
Possum
Badger
Advertisement
Fruit bat
Sunda flying lemur
While the name might imply others, a Sunda flying lemur cannot fly nor is it actually even a lemur. These little mammals are not too good with their footwork when it comes to walking on solid ground, though they are expert climbers.
Sugar glider
Squirrel
Advertisement
Jaguar
Puma
Ocelot
Lynx
The facial fur of these feline creatures makes them very distinctive, with triangular-shaped ears crowned with a black tip and two longer tufts of fur on either side of the animal's face. This feature is known for giving a lynx a beard-like appearance.
Advertisement
Quokka
Red panda
A red panda's cinnamon-colored fur is useful for keeping these animals warm. You won't find these mammals hanging out on the ground, as red pandas rely on life in the trees for sleeping and munching on bamboo.
Red fox
Kangaroo
Advertisement
Wolf
Siberian husky
Coyote
Silver fox
Silver foxes may stick out due to their unique colored coat, but they are actually the same species as the red fox! Instead of barking or howling in the way that many other canines do, foxes communicate using high-pitched barks, screams, snuffles and even gekkers (or essentially chuckles).
Advertisement
Sheep
Mountain goat
In order to deal with the heat of warmer months, mountain goats shed their coats by rubbing against trees to rid themselves of excess fur. Their white coat helps them camouflage in snowy climates.
Alpaca
Llama
Advertisement
Grizzly bear
Do you know what makes a grizzly bear different from others? It's their fur! A grizzly bear's fur is made up from mostly brown hair, though the fur on its back and shoulders is topped with white, which gives the animal its "grizzly" appearance.
Moose
Polar bear
Kodiak bear
Advertisement
You Got:
/40
_(15503697298).jpg){kind=link}
