Did You Know Whales and Dolphins Get Sunburns?
In an effort to make me feel better about the stupid, splotchy sunburn I got in Aruba this weekend thanks to an uneven SPF application, one of my fellow beach-goers told me something that took me aback.
Dolphins and whales get sunburns! And a quick google search confirms that they do! Seems that thanks to the depletion of the ozone layer and the fact that these marine mammals renew their skin quickly (so they're covered in tender new skin), their backs are prone to photodamage. What this means for them long-term, I'm not sure—I couldn't find a clear answer on whether they've ever been known to get skin cancer. But seems that sunburns on beached whales and dolphins are a major concern for wildlife rescuers.
Dolphins and whales get sunburns, people! Am I the only one who didn't know this? Crazy, no?