It’s been almost half a year since hearts worldwide were stolen by the playful antics of one adorable baby hippo-potato, Moo Deng.
We watched as the bouncy baby splashed about in water and hopped around under the sun. While it puts smiles on faces, it also raises a question; Don't hippos get sunburned?
Apparently the answer is, they don't. Rumour has it, these massive mammals produce their own sunblock. Um... really?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Believe it or not, hippos naturally do produce their own sunblock!
While water prevents hippopotamuses from getting overheated, it doesn't offer much in the way of skin protection So, these semi-aquatic mammals secrete a viscous, reddish fluid, often mistaken for blood.
A research published in the British scientific journal Nature in 2004 by biochemist Yoko Saikawa and his team stated findings that the "blood sweat" not only absorbs UV light, but functions as an antibiotic as well.
The two pigments work together to protect the mammals from both bacterial infections and sun damage.
Despite extensive attempts to research it, much remains a mystery about the hippo's gooey antibiotic sunscreen.
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.
So, now when you see our resident Internet cutie pie frolicking in the sun, don’t worry. Thanks to the natural sunscreen produced by her skin, she can enjoy her sunbathing sessions without worrying about sunburns or skin damage.
References:
https://animals.howstuffworks.
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/
https://www.southwestern.edu/
https://www.
