KARNATAKA, INDIA – A mutated human? An alien hybrid? What is it?!
It’s just Ashes, the hairless chimpanzee! Ashes is a 13 year old chimp that lives at the Mysore Zoo in India.
[image courtesy of richu]
Ashes was born with fur like any other chimpanzee. But by just a year old, he had lost all of it! While he is somewhat frightening, it is a wonderful opportunity to be able to see a chimp’s musculature.
Ashes is not the only one of his rare kind. Another hairless chimp called Cinder was born at the Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri. Also born with full hair, she soon lost it but was still readily accepted by the other chimps.
Both animals suffer from alopecia universalis, which is also found among humans! Sadly, Cinder passed away this past February, so curious visitors will have to travel to India to get a peek at Ashes.
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April 22nd, 2009 at 12:24 am
his legs kind of look like mine… wait, am i a monkey?
April 30th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
dude like wat da hell would make u say that
May 6th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
those were strong arms
May 20th, 2009 at 4:50 am
I am so sorry to see that the zoo had so little regard to her privacy away from gocking humans
and nothing but artifitial trees and rocks. It was terrible for her and the other chimps the way all
that glass so humans can get their kicks. I hope soon things will change for the better for
zoo animals and not for the public. The public doesn't even give enough money, simply because
the way the zoos treat animals is what people see. If I ran a zoo I'd do it like Gorilla Haven, have
a sanctuary where humans must be quiet and peek thru bushes and trees. This way the
primates can live a half decent life. Zoos should think of the animals first NOT PEOPLE.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:05 am
That monkey needs lotion.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Technically monkeys have tails – humans, chimpanzees and gorillas are all apes. Monkeys and apes are all primates, along with others like lemurs.
If you're reading this then yes, you're an ape, and not very different from Ashes, either genetically, socially or behaviourally. There's a picture of Ashes in the November 2009 National Geographic that should make it pretty clear that you're looking at someone very much like you, perhaps without the human sense of entitlement.
A genetic abnormality something like the one Ashes and Cinder have is probably what left our ancestors without most of their hair.
November 28th, 2009 at 1:33 am
If he were free then maybe his hair would grow back. Just a thought! I don't see what is so fascinating about a hairless chimp. Has anyone thought that perhaps the stress of capture and being stared at all day long is the cause of his hairless condition. They are such wonderful animals and should all be free. From a Wildlife Rehabilitator.
December 19th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
nope, I am not an ape . If you classify your self as such that is great . At least you won't
have to worry about the afterlife an such . Hell you could probably get a job @ the zoo as
an exhibit or you could sell pop corn or ? Hey do you look like the Geico cavemen ?