How Skin Protects Animals

Skin is the largest external structure on an animal's body. An external structure is a body part you can see on the outside. Skin is important because it acts as a barrier that separates the inside of the body from the outside world.

Skin does three main jobs to help animals survive. First, skin keeps harmful germs out of the body. Germs are tiny living things that can make animals sick. When skin is healthy and unbroken, germs cannot get inside. Second, skin holds moisture inside the body. Moisture is water that the body needs to stay alive. Without skin, the water inside an animal would dry up. Third, skin provides the sense of touch. Touch helps animals feel heat, cold, pain, and pressure, which warns them about danger.

Different animals have different types of skin that match their needs. An elephant has thick, tough skin that protects it from thorns and the hot sun. A frog has thin, moist skin that must stay wet to help the frog breathe through its skin. Many animals have skin covered with other structures like fur, feathers, or scales. These coverings add extra protection. Skin is the first line of defense that helps animals stay healthy and survive in their environments.

Interesting Fact: A hippopotamus makes its own "sunscreen" by producing a red, oily liquid from its skin that protects it from sunburn and kills germs!