Biology and You

You and Your Body

What animal has almost humanlike fingerprints?

While it is known that primates—not including humans—have a type of “fingerprint” (they are more like ridges for a better grip), one animal has fingerprints that are almost humanlike: the cuddly koala bear. These creatures from Australia are sometimes difficult to distinguish from a human’s, as they are similar in size, shape, and pattern. No other animals have such a distinction, but they do have other “prints”—such as animals like pigs and dogs that have hairless snouts—and unique nose prints.