An animal's guide to staying safe in the sun

Growing shade

Although elephants already have special genes that help to reduce their cancer risk, they also protect themselves from the sun by spending time in the shade. And, just when you thought they couldn't get any cuter, adult elephants provide shade for their babies by standing over them while they sleep!  

Shade is an important way to protect your skin from the sun. Elephants in the wild rely on trees, but remember sunlight can still get through the branches and leaves, so the shade of a building, awning or a parasol is even better.  

Glorious mud

Unlike many animals, elephants and rhinos aren’t protected from the sun by thick fur or feathers, so they cover up with mud or dust to stay cool and sun safe.  

Humans don't cover ourselves in mud (unless we’re at a spa). So, instead, think about wearing clothes with sleeves that cover your shoulders, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-protection sunglasses to help protect your skin when you're not in the shade. 

And, speaking of sunglasses… 

Looking cool

A snowy habitat means lots of reflected glare from the sun. That’s why polar bears have not one, not two, but three sets of eyelids, one of which (called the nictitating membrane) helps protect their eyes from glare.  

Humans don't have this built-in sun protection for our eyes, so we need to wear sunglasses. Make sure yours have: 

• A 'CE Mark', which shows they meet the UV protection standards 
• UV 400 and/or 100% UV protection written on the label or sticker  
• Protection at the side of the eye  

Plus, however hot it might get outside, wearing sunglasses helps us look cool (although still probably not as cool as a polar bear).

Don't try this at home

You don't see a lot of hippos in the sunscreen aisle at the chemist (they're more interested in bath bombs and waterproof makeup). That's because they produce their own sunscreen through their skin. Sometimes called 'blood sweat' because of its reddish colour, it also acts as an antibiotic. 

For humans, sunscreen (or sun cream) completes the sun safety picture, helping protect any parts of our skin that our clothes don’t cover. We're not hippos, so don't try and make your own: always buy from a reputable retailer and make sure it is at least SPF 30 and 4 or 5 stars.

While hippos sweat their sunscreen on, we sweat ours off, so use it generously and reapply often, especially after sweating, swimming or drying off with a towel.  

Oh, snap

We've looked at some examples of sun safe behaviour from our animal friends, but that doesn't mean that we can follow their lead all the time.

Crocodiles bask in the sun to raise their body temperature. That’s because, unlike mammals, crocodiles are cold-blooded, so they can't generate their own body heat and need to get it from outside.

A bit of sun helps our bodies to make vitamin D, but most of us can get enough from short periods of sun on our skin as we go about our day. We don't need to sunbathe to get enough vitamin D or regulate our temperature, and sunscreen shouldn't be used to spend longer in the sun.