We all know that the primary purpose of our clothes is to protect our bodies from cold or warm climates. However, what do animals do, since they do not wear clothes? The thick fur coat on their body helps them keep their body warm.
Mammals are the only animals with hair. A mammal’s hair, also called fur, protects it from wind, rain, sun, cold, insects, and other dangers. Most mammals have a fur coat with two distinct layers-an undercoat of shorter dense hair and an outer coat of longer stiffer hairs.
Hair helps mammals in many other ways too. The hair colour of many mammals blends with the animals’ surroundings; and therefore, helps them hide from their enemies or prey. The coat keeps out the cold and helps to keep the animal warm. It also serves to protect the skin. Hair can take on several different forms including fur, whiskers, spines, or horns. It can be kinky or straight, soft or bristly, stiff or smooth.
Do you know that the polar bear has fur on the pads of its feet, both to keep its feet warm and to help it get a good grip on icy surfaces? The hairs of its thick waterproof coat are hollow, which means that air is trapped inside each strand of hair. The trapped air holds in body heat and helps the bear float when it swims too.
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