Ask A Scientist© Zoology Archive

name        Tiffany M.
status      student
age         20s

Question -  How do you tell the difference between hair and fur?
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They are essentally the same thing!  They have the same chemical 
composition, but fish scales, reptile scales and bird feathers have 
the same composition too.  
It is in the context or reference that makes them different.  
Hair or fur comes in difference textures, but that is about 
it.  Humans, for example, have three types of hair, but this 
hair could be addressed as fur, but is not common to hear it.

Animals that have short fine hair that thickly covers their body are
more often referenced as having "fur".  The word "fur" is also used
with any animal pelt that becomes a coat.  Of course, the fine hair-like
coverings of a peach is called "fur" too!

So, basically, hair is a characteristic of all mammals.  Fur is a reference
to the hair of some animals, and not the peach!


Steve Sample
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