Elephants. Elephants use dirt and hay as a natural sunblock – they spread it on their backs to cover their skin. Elephants keep cool by snuffing up trunks full of water and spraying themselves.
Yes. "Marine mammals, and specifically cetaceans [whales, dolphins and porpoises], are an exception because they don't have fur; they don't have scales," said Acevedo-Whitehouse, who has been studying sunburn in whales for over five years.
Just like we wear clothes, hats and sunscreen to protect against sunburn and skin damage, many animals have fur, wool, hair, scales and feathers to protect them from the sun, according to the Cornell Center for Materials Research(Opens in a new window).
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.
Light-colored animals, newly shorn sheep and other animals that are clipped can suffer from sunburn and the parts of animals that normally lack hair cover can be sunburned.
Apart from looking like white chocolate to a potential predator, they burn easily from the UV rays of the sun. Captive albino alligators and crocodiles must be kept in shaded conditions to prevent very serious sunburn. Vitamin D3 becomes an essential part of their diet to make up for this lack of UV radiation.
Dogs can get sunburnt just like us, anywhere from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. However, areas covered by a thin layer of coat or no hair at all are more susceptible to the effects of direct sunlight. The signs of sunburn in dogs are very similar to ours.
“Most any animal that has exposed skin is susceptible to sunburn,” says the biologist.
Coat Protection
Consider using fly sprays and/or coat conditioners that include UV protectants, and apply regularly. If you can't manage your horse's time in the sun and you have limited shade in your turnout areas, consider using fly sheets and face masks for additional protection.
As for snakes and other reptiles that at times bask in the sun, their inner epidermis is protected from UV rays via their scales, which also function to help retain moisture underneath, among other things. For these animals, they would typically die from overheating before any threat of sunburn became a problem.
Elephants. Elephants use dirt and hay as a natural sunblock – they spread it on their backs to cover their skin. Elephants keep cool by snuffing up trunks full of water and spraying themselves.
Indians enjoy the benefit of living in the tropics and our darker skin tone shields us from UV light. Our skin colour depends on a natural pigment called melanin—also known as the umbrella of the skin that protects us from UV damage.
Marine mammals such as these bottlenose dolphins are more susceptible to sunburn than most other animals. This is primarily caused because they lack a protective layer such as fur, feathers or scales. Dolphins and whales rely on being underwater in order to combat the effects of the sun.
1) Can sharks get a sunburn? Sharks can get a sunburn if they stay close to the surface for a long enough time, but it's not very likely that they would. Sharks do sometimes get a suntan.
In ultra-clear water, the fish can develop sunburn even if they are completely submerged, but are forced to within those top few centimetres of water where the U-V can still penetrate. Certain fish species seem to prefer swimming near the surface - like the Arctic Charr - and are prone to excessive sun exposure.
Desert Tortoise
Although this animal is not nocturnal, the desert tortoise rarely sees the light of day. This animal, native to the Southwest region of the United States, lives the majority of its life underground, burrowed away from the light.
They can become sunburned. Although less common in Indiana than in Sun Belt states, exposure to ultraviolet radiation may cause skin damage to dairy cows, light-colored beef cattle and sheep.
What a great question!! Well, scientific research has concluded that birds (and the condors are very BIG birds) have reptiles in their family history. Their skin is not the same as ours because we are mammals (don't forget your sunscreen) so therefore they do not sunburn.
Biochemical tests have shown that plants produce special molecules and send them to the outer layer of their leaves to protect themselves. These molecules, called sinapate esters, appear to block ultraviolet-B radiation from penetrating deeper into leaves where it might otherwise disrupt a plant's normal development.
Sunburn is injury to the skin caused by excessive exposure to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight. Pigs that are unaccustomed to direct sunlight may be sunburned if not exposed gradually to their outdoor environment. The white or light-colored breeds are more severely affected.
Study links lesions on whales to UV radiation
Whales don't have those luxuries—and they're paying the price. Researchers have found numerous cases of sunburned and blistered skin on whales in the wild, sparking concern that the thinned ozone layer may be causing skin cancer in these animals.
Did you know that dolphins can get sunburned? Humans are not the only mammals to suffer from the effects of the sun. Researchers are finding the same problem with whales and dolphins in the wild.
It seems crazy, but it's actually normal. Dogs love the heat because it helps warm their bodies and allows them to soak in vitamin D. So indulge your dog, and let them out, even if it seems crazy to want to be in 100-degree heat.
This ranges from irresponsible dog owners leaving their dogs in hot cars, to not supplying enough drinking water or shade for their dog when outdoors in the summer heat. Dog body temperatures are naturally higher than humans'. Keep your dog cool and avoid heatstroke by knowing how to identify it and how to prevent it.
Do Not Use Human Sunscreen on Your Dog. The ingredients found in human sunscreen make it dangerous to use on your pets. Avoid using sunscreen formulated for humans on your dog. Be very careful not to use any sunscreen on your dog that contains zinc oxide.