To me, this immediately strikes me as being mange (which is a skin mite infestation). The symptoms of it sound just like this, and I also know of it because just over a year ago our own young little Frankie (DFT's avatar) was stricken with it as just a wee kitten, since he was born feral. He had to have shots every two weeks over the course of a month to be rid of it, poor baby. Fur was gone in patches, including his face, and the exposed skin was very flaky and itchy. You wouldn't ever know that he had it now. He looks like a handsome black panther now, with a stubby little tail.

That's the zoo in Leipzig. Word is that it's a genetic condition triggered by unfamiliar living conditions - those are Andean Bears after all.

Holy crap I just saw these bears last week at the Leipzig zoo, and they look even more odd in person... I hope they figure out what's causing the fur loss and that the little fellas can get their coats back.