Hair has a special importance for some animals. If it's long and colorful, or short and cropped in different shapes, it can attract lots of attention from the opposite sex. Think about that the next time you see a male lion's mane at the zoo or a teenager with a spiked Mohawk hairstyle at the mall!

Are We Naked?
Some people call humans "naked apes." That's not entirely accurate, though. An adult human's body is covered with about five million hairs—the same number that an adult gorilla has. However, human hair is generally shorter and thinner than gorilla hair. You may have to look closely to see the hairs on most of your body.

Take our wacky whiskers quiz.

Text by David George Gordon
Photograph by Jody Cobb