Fur

The term fur refers to the fine, soft body hair of non-human mammals.

True fur comes from animals where the coat consists of short ground hair and long guard hair. Fur has served as an important source of clothing for humans, especially in cold countries. Today, many people criticise wearers of fur because of the sometimes cruel conditions under which the animals live in fur farms.

Sources of fur include:

• beaver
• ermine
• fox
• mink
• otter
• rabbit
• sable

Contrast the use of sheepskin and wool.

The fur trade played an important economic role in the past. Fur trappers explored and opened up large parts of North America, and the fashion for beaver hats led to intense competition for supplies of raw materials.

The popular name of fur fetishism refers to a fetishistic attraction to people wearing fur, or in certain cases, to the fur garments themselves.

"Fake fur" designates any synthetic material which mimics the appearance and feel of real fur, without the use of animal products.

Heraldic fur performs special functions in heraldry.

Animals without fur may have the epithet "naked", as in The Naked Ape and naked mole rat.

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The Fur people live in the Darfur province of Sudan.