Science Illustrated

Which animal has the densest fur?

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SEA OTTER 100,000-400,000 hairs/cm2*

The hairs of the sea otter's fur are so dense that they make up a watertight shield.

COMMON OTTER 80,000 hairs/cm2

The fur captures air bubbles, which help protect the otter from the cold water.

CHINCHILLA 50,000 hairs/cm2

The crop of hair is so dense that the rodent is protected against

lice and ticks, that bite the skin.

MINK 24,000 hairs/cm2

The dense hair of a mink is the main reason why the creature is a popular fur farming animal.

ARCTIC FOX 20,000 hairs/cm2

The fur is so efficient that an Arctic fox will only begin to feel cold at temperatur­es below -40 °C. In comparison, people typically have 100-200 hairs/cm2 on their heads.

 ??  ?? Sea otter
Sea otter

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