![\"Meerkats\"](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/suricati-1024x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Sun is essential for all life on Earth. While many animals prefer to hide in the shade to escape the heat, others can\u2019t resist basking under its warm rays. From desert dwellers to ocean swimmers, these creatures have found unique ways to soak up the sunshine.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s meet some of the biggest sun-lovers in the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n
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These members of the mongoose family are iconic desert dwellers of Africa. Meerkats love nothing more than gathering in groups to bask in the sun. Their thin fur and dark bellies make them perfectly adapted for temperature control\u2014lying on their backs to warm up or flipping onto their stomachs to cool down.<\/p>\n
![\"Sea](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u041c\u043e\u0440\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439-\u043b\u0435\u0432-1024x575.jpg\")
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For sea lions, sunbathing isn\u2019t just a pastime\u2014it\u2019s survival. Along the Pacific coast, they crowd onto beaches in noisy colonies, each one vying for the best sunny spot. Sometimes you\u2019ll even spot them floating on their sides in the water, with a flipper raised above the surface. The sun warms their blood through that flipper, which then circulates heat throughout the body.<\/p>\n
![\"Hippopotamus\"](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u0413\u0438\u043f\u043f\u043e\u043f\u043e\u0442\u0430\u043c-1.jpg\")
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Hippos love lounging by rivers and lakes, soaking in the warmth. To protect their skin, they secrete a natural sunscreen that\u2019s pinkish-red in color. This led to the myth that hippos \u201csweat blood,\u201d but in truth, the secretion keeps their skin moist, flexible, and protected from cracking under the sun.<\/p>\n
![\"African](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u0410\u0444\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439-\u043f\u0438\u043d\u0433\u0432\u0438\u043d-1024x671.jpg\")
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Though penguins usually bring to mind icy landscapes, the African penguin<\/strong> thrives on the sunny beaches near Cape Town. Colonies of up to 3,000 birds can be found sunning themselves between dives into the ocean. These playful penguins are even known to steal space on beach towels from human sunbathers!<\/p>\n Birds, too, have their own sunbathing rituals. Blackbirds, for example, often sprawl in gardens on sunny days with wings spread wide and feathers fluffed. This behavior doesn\u2019t just feel good\u2014it helps expose parasites hidden in their feathers, making sunbathing a built-in cleaning routine.<\/p>\n Native to the Gal\u00e1pagos Islands, marine iguanas<\/strong> are the world\u2019s only seafaring lizards. After feeding underwater, they clamber onto lava rocks to warm their bodies in the sun. Like other reptiles, they are cold-blooded and rely entirely on external heat to regulate their body temperature.<\/p>\n Snakes are also cold-blooded and need sunlight to function. After a meal, they bask to speed up digestion by raising their body temperature. Garter snakes are especially known for this habit. After emerging from winter hibernation, they spend hours soaking up the sun to regain the energy needed to hunt.<\/p>\n These colorful turtles begin their day with a sun session. At dawn, they climb onto logs or banks and spend hours basking. Sunlight not only warms them but also dries out parasites on their shells. Painted turtles are even known to use floating debris as makeshift sunbathing rafts.<\/p>\n Alligators often gather in large groups\u2014known as \u201ccongregations\u201d\u2014to bask along riverbanks. Sunlight helps them regulate their temperature, but when it gets too hot, they cool off with a dip in the water. Sometimes they even sunbathe with their mouths open, releasing excess heat like a built-in cooling system.<\/p>\n These small insects are surprisingly dedicated sunseekers. In autumn, they emerge to bask, which helps them stay healthy. Sunlight stimulates the production of chemicals that spread across their bodies, protecting them from microbes. For such tiny creatures, sunbathing is literally a matter of survival.<\/p>\n Many of the animals that love basking in the sun can be found in warm climates, open landscapes, and coastal habitats.<\/p>\n If you enjoy learning about wildlife or observing animals outdoors, these tools and nature guides can make the experience even more engaging:<\/p>\n \u2022 Zoology: Inside the Secret World of Animals<\/a> From penguins and hippos to snakes and iguanas, sunbathing plays a vital role in the lives of many creatures. For some, it\u2019s about warmth and energy; for others, it\u2019s about protection, digestion, or even pest control. Next time you stretch out under the sunshine, remember\u2014you\u2019re in good company.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Sun is essential for all life on Earth. While…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6685,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animals"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Blackbird\"](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u0427\u0451\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439-\u0434\u0440\u043e\u0437\u0434-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBlackbird<\/h2>\n
![\"Marine](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u041c\u043e\u0440\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435-\u0438\u0433\u0443\u0430\u043d\u044b-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMarine Iguanas<\/h2>\n
![\"Garter](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u041f\u043e\u0434\u0432\u044f\u0437\u043a\u0430-\u0437\u043c\u0435\u044f-1024x859.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGarter Snakes<\/h2>\n
![\"Painted](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u0420\u0430\u0441\u043f\u0438\u0441\u043d\u0430\u044f-\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043f\u0430\u0445\u0430.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPainted Turtles<\/h2>\n
![\"Alligators\"](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/\u0410\u043b\u043b\u0438\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e\u0440-1024x665.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAlligators<\/h2>\n
![\"Western](\"https:\/\/www.facts-worldwide.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Western-boxelder-bug.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWestern Boxelder Bugs<\/h2>\n
Enjoy Watching Animals in Nature?<\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 Wildlife of the World (National Geographic)<\/a>
\n\u2022 Animals: Collection of 6 Books: Knowledge Encyclopedia For Children<\/a>
\n\u2022 Outdoor gear that helps you explore and appreciate the natural world<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhy Animals Love the Sun<\/h1>\n