Red hair in animals

Red hair is a genetic trait that is typically found in humans, but there are actually many animals that have red hair too! In this blog post, we will explore some of the redheaded animals that can be found around the world.

Red haired animals examples

Red haired animals include orangutans, red foxes, cats, dogs, hens, red pandas, goldfish, clownfish, red squirrels, orioles, golden lion tamarins, tigers, strawberry poison dart frogs, and monarch butterflies. The red colour turns up in mammals, birds, fish, insects, and amphibians – all the genera of animals on earth.

Red Animals 

Red Squirrel

Red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) are one of the many redheaded animals on Earth. The red squirrel is a small, tree-dwelling rodent that is native to Europe and parts of Asia. As its name suggests, it has reddish-brown fur on its back, sides, and tail, which is why it is considered an animal with red hair. However, the colour of the fur can vary depending on the season, with it being more vibrant and reddish in the summer and more muted in the winter.

Red Foxes

Red foxes are perhaps the most well-known redheaded animal. These clever and adaptable animals are found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Their fur is typically a rusty red colour, which helps them blend in with their surroundings and stay hidden from predators.

Domestic cats & dogs

Both cats and dogs come in a wide range of colours and hair types, including red and ginger shades. For example, many whippet breed dogs have a ginger hue to their fur, and many cats have striped ginger fur.

Orangutans

Orangutans are an endangered species of great ape found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. They have bright reddish-orange hair that covers their entire bodies. The color of their hair helps them blend in with the dense foliage of the forest, making them difficult to spot by predators.

Red Pandas

Red pandas are small, furry mammals found in the forests of China, Nepal, and India. They have thick fur that is a reddish-brown colour, which helps them stay warm in their cold, mountainous habitat. Red pandas are known for their distinctive masked face and fluffy tail.

Caracals

Caracals are a medium-sized wildcat found in Africa and parts of Asia. They have reddish-brown fur that is marked with black spots and stripes. The colour of their fur helps them blend in with the savannas and forests where they live.

Sika Deer

Sika deer are a type of deer found in parts of Asia and North America. They have reddish-brown fur with white spots and a white underbelly. The color of their fur helps them blend in with their surroundings, making them difficult to spot by predators.

Woolly mammoths and Big Foot had red hair too!

Extinct woolly mammoths were probably a reddish colour too, and many of the Big Foot reports around the World describe a huge being with hair ranging in colour from very light ginger blonde to dark gingery brown, which is very exciting.

Conclusion

There are many animals with red hair, from the clever red fox to the adorable red panda. These animals have evolved to have red hair for a variety of reasons, from camouflage to staying warm in cold habitats. While red hair is a unique trait in humans, it is just one of the many adaptations that animals have developed to survive and thrive in their environments.

Do you know of any more? Let us know in the comments below.

And don’t forget to check out other articles in our Ginger Red Hair Facts category.