The following ten animals have the toughest skin in the animal kingdom. Discover the reasons why they have tough skin. Is it connected to their habitat, the climate they live in, or their predators? It may be all of the above!
#10 Hippopotamus
The skin of a hippopotamus is two inches thick all over its body. Its thick hide serves a few purposes. For one, it offers protection from the harsh sunlight in its African grassland habitat. Furthermore, its skin releases a pink ooze that prevents this mammal from getting sunburned. Think of it as a natural sunscreen. The tough hide of a hippo serves as protection from predators as well. However, there aren’t many predators that will challenge a hippo. Hippos are known to be aggressive and highly territorial. In addition to that, they have strong jaws that can render a deadly bite. This is more than enough reason for many predators to keep their distance! Look here to find out more about hippos.
#9 Honey Badger
Though honey badgers are small mammals compared to others on this list, they have remarkably tough skin. Honey badgers have black fur with a wide, silver section of hair running over their head and back. These mammals are best known for their fierce fighting abilities. They are strong animals with sharp teeth and claws. But did you know their skin helps to protect them in an encounter with another animal? The skin of a honey badger is about one-quarter inch thick. This may not seem like thick skin, but it’s considered thick for a small mammal. Its skin is sturdy enough to prevent serious damage from the teeth of a hyena or even a big cat. In addition, this badger’s skin can stretch. So, when it’s grabbed, the honey badger is able to twist around and bite or claw the predator in an effort to escape. To learn more about honey badgers read this page.
#8 Camel
It doesn’t seem like camels belong on a list of animals with the toughest skin. But, they do! Most camels live in the desert where it is extremely hot and arid throughout the day. Furthermore, it can get very cold at night. So, it takes an animal with tough skin to survive and even flourish in these extreme conditions. If you’ve ever seen a camel resting, you know they sometimes lower themselves onto their knees and tuck their legs beneath them. Take a moment to imagine just how hot the sand in a desert gets especially around the middle of the day. This is why camels have extra thick layers of skin on their knees as well as their chest. They are able to rest in the sand without burning their skin. The thick hide of a camel along with its dense fur coat combine to keep this large mammal warm on cold nights in the desert. For more on camels check out this page.
#7 Armadillo
An armadillo has a dark or light gray carapace made of bony plates covering its head and back. It features tooth-like formations called scutes. An armadillo’s carapace serves as excellent protection when a coyote, hawk, raccoon, or other predator attacks. This clever animal has a way of getting the most benefit out of its carapace, or suit of armor when a predator approaches. When an armadillo is threatened or approached by a predator, it jumps into the air and rolls into a ball before landing on the ground. Some species of armadillo can jump as high as three or four feet! There are very few predators patient enough to figure out how to gain access to this animal after it has rolled itself into an armored ball! To discover more on the armadillo, visit this page.
#6 Whale Shark
Whale sharks can grow to a length of 33 feet! These creatures have gray skin covered in small white spots. A whale shark’s tough skin can measure up to four inches thick. Their thick skin protects them from predators including tiger sharks, great white sharks, and killer whales. Whale sharks have a layer of denticles on their back. Denticles are scales shaped like teeth. This layer of denticles along with its thick skin is effective protection for this gentle sea creature. To read more on whale sharks look here.
#5 Bison
A bison is best known for the hump on its back. This is a strong mammal with a thick hide and a long coat of fur. Its thick skin serves as insulation against the cold winter weather. In fact, bison skin actually changes with the weather by toughening further as the temperature drops. In addition, its tough hide protects this big mammal from the bites of horseflies, fleas, and other pests that are constantly swirling around in the warm weather months. Its strong hide is also a defense against predators including mountain lions, wolves, and grizzly bears. Learn more about the bison right here.
#4 Sperm Whale
An adult sperm whale grows to a length of 40 to 52 feet. Understandably, adult sperm whales have very few predators. But when one does attack, it’s met with a layer of skin on this whale measuring 13.5 inches thick! While a sperm whale has thick skin on its back, head, and tail, it doesn’t have any on its underbelly. So, when this sea creature sees a predator, it turns its strong, tough back toward the threat. For more on sperm whales go to this page.
#3 Rhinoceros
Look at the layers or large sections of skin on a rhinoceros and it’s easy to believe they have some of the toughest skin in the animal world. The skin of a rhinoceros is two inches thick. Its skin consists of layers of collagen. A rhino’s strong hide offers it a high level of protection from predators. However, a rhino’s skin doesn’t protect it from everything. Have you ever seen a video of a rhinoceros rolling in the mud? They are doing this because their skin is vulnerable to sunburn. The mud on their body dries and this serves as protection from the sun’s rays. In addition, the dried mud helps protect the rhino’s body from insect bites. To study more on the rhinoceros, check here.
#2 Elephant
It’s easy to believe an elephant has tough skin. This large animal has skin that is one inch thick over most of its body. It has a thinner layer of skin around its flapping ears. The thickness of its skin is a defense against predators. But the texture of its skin serves another purpose. One of the most noticeable things about an elephant’s skin is its wrinkles. After an elephant goes through a rainstorm or takes a bath in a lake, water becomes trapped in its wrinkles. Just imagine all of the water a single adult elephant can store in its pouches of wrinkled skin! This moisture helps cool this animal in its hot grassland or savanna habitat. Elephants take baths in the mud for many of the same reasons as a rhino. A mud bath helps to keep flies, fleas, and other insects away from its skin and offers protection from sunburn. Read here to learn more about elephants.
#1 Crocodile
Take a look at the back and tail of a crocodile and you’ll see why these creatures are a must-have on a list of animals with the toughest skin. This reptile’s skin has been compared to a suit of armor. The bony structures on a crocodile’s back, tail, and head are called scutes. Scutes are made of a solid material called keratin. If you see an animal with horns, those horns are probably made of keratin. Beneath a crocodile’s scutes is another layer of bony material called osteoderm. The layer of osteoderm is made up of overlapping sections which makes it even more sturdy. Though this reptile’s skin has been compared to armor, it has a flexible quality to it. This allows a crocodile to move with agility through the water. Crocodiles need flexibility so they can make quick movements changing direction and submerge in lakes or rivers. The layers of skin on a crocodile are so strong they can prevent a bullet from making its way into this reptile’s body and injuring its organs. Now that’s some tough skin! For more on the crocodile, please visit this page.
Animals With the Toughest Skin Summary
Here’s a summary of the ten animals with the toughest skin, ranked in order.
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