without fur or hair most mammals would be pretty uncomfortable. That's because a furry covering shields mammals' bodies from the weather, keeping them warm and dry - sort of like your clothes do for you.
Elephants, rhinos, and hippos don't have fur. They all live in hot places, where the important thing is to keep cool. Being practically hairless is one way these animals deal with the heat. They use mud, dust, and water to protect their skin from sunburn.
Whales spend all of their time underwater. Their body fat keeps them warm, so they don't need fur coats.
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 colored hairstyle at the mall!
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.