Three female bears at a zoo in Germany could be left shivering this winter after suddenly losing most of their fur.
Animal keepers are baffled by the spectacled bears' baldness, which has been blamed on a mystery disease.
Named Dolores, Bianca and Lolita, the animals have lost their thick coat from most of their bodies.
With temperatures dropping, visitors to the zoo were left feeling sorry for the animals as they watched them walk around their enclosure without their normal furry protection.
Apart from hair loss and itchiness, the spectacled bears have no other symptoms, which would appear to rule out speculation that stress may be the cause.
But until there is a diagnosis and cure, animal keepers are trying to help the itchiness by applying ointments and creams to the bears' exposed flesh.
Video of the poor lil bears here. They sem to be prefectly well apart from being bald.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091105/video/vwl-mystery-disease-leaves-bears-baring-89eb865.html
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Jackie