Bald bears baffle Bavarians*

^{*OK, it's not really Bavaria}

Really, what's more pitiful than a bear robbed of its  fur (and dignity) by unexplained forces, put on display for the rubbernecking public's amusement? But there'll be no mercy in Leipzig, where crowds of voyeuristic Germans are flocking to the zoo to observe the plight of spectacled bear Dolores and her fellow female ursine inmates, all of whom are suffering from the same rash of inexplicable baldness. Ordinarily at this time of year, the bears (who originally hail from South America) would be bulking up their dark brown coats as winter insulation. Vets are mystified about the cause of the sudden hair loss; no word as to whether they've tried Rogaine yet. Check out the rest of the photos if you dare, but be warned: these bears look like they murdered elephants and made coats out of their hides. In other words, they're gray, wrinkly, and sad. You'll come away feeling just a little bit worse about the world. 

--Emily Cataneo