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- Since all hippos seem to produce the pigments, scientists don't believe their "sunscreen" is linked to diet. Some scientists think it may even act as a bug repellent since flies seem averse to landing on it [source: Grossi]. One thing's for sure though.
animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/hippo-sunscreen.htm
People also ask
Do hippos produce their own sunscreen?
Do hippopotamuses need sunscreen?
Can hippo sweat cause skin cancer?
Does a hippo sweat?
Is hippo sweat antibacterial?
Do hippos eat grass?
What do hippos use as sunscreen? The mucus secretion on a hippo's body not only helps control their body temperature, but also acts as a potent sunscreen and antibiotic. The thick and sticky mixture is tough enough to survive the hippos' daylong soaks as it continues to protect against sunlight in both the ultraviolet and visible range.
- Jennifer Horton
- Generally no, hippos are herbivores that eat up to 40 kilograms of grass per day. There are a few reported cases of cannibalism or hippos eating ot...
- Hippos are naturally aggressive and dangerous. These semi aquatic land mammals are known to cause more deaths than any other animal on the continen...
- The red or pink color of the hippo's sweat is due to the presence of two unstable and highly acidic compounds - hipposudoric acid, which is red, an...
Dec 6, 2023 · Skin Secretion and Sunscreen Red Sweat. Hippo skin is virtually hairless and would soon burn when exposed to intense sunlight if it was unprotected. The skin secretes an oily liquid that acts as sunscreen. The secretion is colorless, but after a few minutes, turns red.
May 26, 2004 · The really clever thing about hippos is that they produce their own sunscreen, in the form of a sticky reddish sweat. Now, a team from Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Japan, has explained...
May 27, 2004 · The hippo’s sweat acts like a sunscreen, protecting the animal’s skin from damage. Chemists may someday use their new knowledge to make medicines or sunscreens. You won’t be seeing bottles of hippo sweat at the cosmetics counter anytime soon, though.
- Overview
- Sunscreen Gene
- No Sweat
Fish, hippopotamuses, and other animals produce chemicals that protect them from the sun's rays.
On a recent beach trip I forgot to wear sunscreen and was left literally burning with regret.
But many wild animals, from fish to hippos, don’t have to remember to hit the drugstore to be protected from the sun’s powerful rays. (See "Mystery Solved: Why We Sunburn.")
To find out more, Saturday’s Weird Animal Question of the Week is taking author's prerogative to ask "How do animals make their own sunscreen?"
A recent study in the journal eLife found that some fish, birds, amphibians, and reptiles have the genes to produce gadusol, a compound that can act as a sunscreen.
"Gadusol absorbs UV radiation, particularly UVB [ultraviolet B], and dissipates it as heat," study leader Taifo Mahmud, a professor of medicinal chemistry at Oregon State University, says via email.
The gadusol produced by zebrafish, a highly studied lab species, may even help scientists create a better sunscreen for people. (Also see "Do Sunscreens' Tiny Particles Harm Ocean Life in Big Ways?")
By transferring the zebrafish genes into yeast in the lab, researchers were able to test gadusol’s activity as a sunscreen and show that it can be produced commercially.
So, can I just rub a zebrafish on my face next time I forget my sunscreen?
A bit impractical, says Mahmud, but cod and sea urchin eggs—popular sushi ingredients—can contain the radiation-absorbing chemical.
Other animals devise or produce their own brand of SPF.
Hippopotamuses produce "sweat" made of one red and one orange pigment. A 2004 study in Nature revealed that the red pigment contains an antibiotic, while the orange absorbs UV rays. So the two pigments work together to protect the African mammals from both bacterial infections and sun damage. It also explains the misconception that they sweat blood. (Read how whales avoid sunburn.)
Mantis shrimp have amino acid pigments called MAAs in their eyes that are known as "nature's sunscreen," reports a 2014 study in the journal Current Biology. However in mantis shrimp, the pigments play another role: They serve as powerful filters that contribute to the crustacean's incredibly sharp and complex vision. (Related: "Nature's Most Amazing Eyes Just Got a Bit Weirder.")
Likewise, in zebrafish, gadusol may play multiple roles, including “some functions required to accomplish embryonic development,” says study co-author Robert Tanguay, professor of molecular toxicology at Oregon State University. The team is investigating those other possible roles.
West African lungfish don't make sunscreen, but they know how to stay cool: They bundle themselves in a cocoon of mucus before burrowing themselves into the mud during the dry season.
Snug and protected, the fish then go into a period of estivation, a period of dormancy some animals go into during the hot months, like a summer version of hibernation. (Watch a video of the West African lungfish.)
While some research has been conducted, there’s still a great deal that’s unknown about the hippo’s so-called built-in sunscreen. Scientists believe that the substances are synthesized from amino acids upon exposure to oxygen.
Did you know hippos have their very own sunscreen? These amazing creatures secrete a pinkish fluid that acts as a natural sunblock, keeping their skin moistu...
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