Bald Bear's Baffling Illness

07 November 2009

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A bear in Germany has lost all her fur.

Dolores, a South American spectacled bear, has been left with only a few tufts around her head and a near-naked wrinkled body after her body hair mysteriously fell out.

Vets at Leipzig Zoo are mystified by the condition, which has affected all the zoo's female spectacled bears.

The bears - whose condition has proved to be a hit with tourists - would normally be growing a thicker coat to keep warm during winter, but instead of their usual fluffy brown fur, the animals have developed rashes and inflammations.

Experts suggest the ailment could be due to a genetic defect and zoo-keepers have asked zoos around the world for advice as to what could be causing the condition.

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