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.