Fur is the thick growth of hair that covers the skin of many kinds of mammals. People make coats and other clothing from fur. They value fur for its beauty as well as the warmth that it provides.
Fur consists of a combination of stiff, oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair sheds moisture, and the underfur acts as an insulating blanket that keeps the animal warm. The fur and skin of an animal are called a pelt.
Prehistoric people wore animal skins for warmth and protection. They also used fur for blankets, rugs, and wallhangings. During the 400's B.C., an active fur market opened in Athens, Greece. Fur became a luxury during medieval times. During this period, only royalty could afford such expensive furs as ermine and sable. The desire to profit from furs stimulated much of the early exploration of North America. In the early 1600's, fur trading became the most important industry in Canada. The first fur ranches raised silver foxes in the 1880's in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Today, the fur industry plays an important role in the economies of many nations of the world. Most of the world's fur supply comes from fur ranches, also called fur farms, where millions of fur-bearing animals are raised each year. The rest of the world's fur supply comes from trapping animals in the wild.
The major sources of the most popular furs obtained by trapping are Canada, Russia, and the United States. The United States and many other nations prohibit the import of furs of animals that are in danger of becoming extinct. See Wildlife conservation.
Some people object to the killing of animals for their fur. They especially oppose what they consider inhumane treatment in the trapping and killing of animals or in the animals' confinement on ranches.
