<p>Mangalitsa piglets, otherwise known as wool pigs, follow their mother in Germany.</p>

Mangalitsa piglets, otherwise known as wool pigs, follow their mother in Germany.

Photograph by Dirk Eisermann, laif/Redux

Curly-haired pigs and other animals with natural waves

From extra warmth to attracting mates to just looking pretty, curls serve various functions.

With everything ‘80s making a comeback, the perm could be next—but as usual, animals are way ahead of us.

Many domestic animals, such as pigs, horses, and chickens, have been bred to sport wavy locks. There's a genetic trait for curly coats that appear in several horse breeds of various sizes and colors. (Read how horses have consciousness.)

Equines with the gene grow very thick curls in winter, and some so-called "extreme curlies" lose all their hair completely in the summer, says E. Gus Cothran, emeritus professor at Texas A&M University at College Station.

Researchers have found mutations on two different genes that could cause these animals’ kinky coats. But since curly-haired horses in Asia do not have either of

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