In this informative article titled “9 Types of Animals That Sweat (Pictures)” by Wildlife Informer, readers will learn about various animals that sweat to regulate their body temperature. When it gets too hot, animals have different methods to cool down, and some animals, similar to humans, sweat. However, this is a rare occurrence in the animal kingdom. This article explores the reasons why animals sweat and provides a list of nine fascinating animals that use sweating as a means to stay cool. From chimpanzees and dogs to spider monkeys and zebras, readers will discover the unique ways in which these animals keep their bodies cool through the process of sweating. The article also provides interesting facts about each animal, shedding light on their habitats, diet, and behavior. With vivid pictures accompanying the text, readers will gain a deeper understanding of the diversity and adaptability of these sweating animals.
9 Types of Animals That Sweat
When it gets too hot, animals frequently need to cool down their body temperature. In fact, there are some animals that sweat to do this. However, there are only a few animals that sweat like humans do. Animals use various methods to keep their bodies cool in hot weather. These include panting, sweating, and evaporative cooling. In this article, we’ll look at some animals that keep their bodies cool by sweating.
Chimpanzee
Scientific Name: Pan troglodytes
Chimpanzees are a type of great ape that’s indigenous to Africa. They’re well-known for their intelligence, tool skills, and social organization. These intelligent creatures share 98% of human DNA, giving them many similarities with humans, including how we sweat. Sweating allows these animals to quickly cool down when they‘re hot, and chimpanzees also frequently sweat through their armpit. These animals primarily consume fruits, but they’ll also consume leaves, seeds, flowers, and insects on occasion.
Dogs
Scientific Name: Canis lupus familiaris
Surprise! I bet you didn’t think dogs would be on this list. Dogs are carnivores, and their diet includes a variety of meats. Fruits and vegetables, as well as grains, are consumed by these animals. They’re pack animals who live in families or packs and make it on this list of animals that sweat to stay cool sort of by a technicality. Dogs, unlike horses and primates, sweat only through their paw pads. And this is insufficient to completely cool their bodies, which is why we frequently see them panting to reduce their body temperature.
Spider Monkey
Scientific Name: Ateles geoffroyi
The spider monkey is one of the most fascinating monkeys in the world, with no thumb, four long fingers, and a prehensile tail, which means they can wrap their tails around things to balance themselves while hanging from branches. These characteristics make them excellent tree climbers. Sweat glands can also be found on the underside of the tail and on the chests of these animals. They live in South American forests near the Amazon River, eating plant fruits, seeds, and leaves.
Horse
Scientific Name: Equus caballus
Horses are known for their agility, speed, endurance, and intelligence. They have been used for a variety of purposes throughout history, including farm work, racing, rodeo events, and even as cavalry mounts during wars. These animals are among the few known to produce sweat as a means of cooling down. Their sweat is produced in their head, flanks, and rump. In stressful circumstances, horses may also exhibit sweating.
Gorilla
Scientific Name: Gorilla gorilla
The gorilla is the largest of the great apes and a native herbivore of the forests of Central Africa. When it’s hot outside, these animals cool down by sweating through their palms, armpits, and soles. They also have a strong sense of smell, which allows them to recognize each other’s bodies even when they can’t see or hear them well. Gorillas use these senses to determine a female’s reproductive status, especially during mating season. Gorillas can live in captivity for up to 40 years, but their wild lifespan is unknown.
Donkey
Scientific Name: Equus asinus
Donkeys are animals that you can find in a variety of habitats around the world; however, wild donkeys are only found in Africa’s and the Middle East’s deserts and savannahs. These animals are herbivores that eat mostly plants. Since these animals live in hot environments, the ability to expel heat from their bodies is critical to their survival. Donkeys sweat through their skin to accomplish this, particularly in the neck, behind the elbows, and between the hind legs. Their large ears also aid in cooling them down by heat dissipation, allowing their internal heat to escape from their bodies.
Zebra
Scientific Name: Equus quagga
The zebra is a species of mammal native to Africa. They’re distinguished by their large, distinct stripes and their black and white body color. These animals are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. They can also survive in harsh environments because they can eat and digest low-quality forage. Zebras, who are related to horses, have the same ability to perspire through their skin to keep cool. Scientists believe their stripes help in thermoregulation, allowing these animals to evaporate sweat more quickly on hot days.
Cats
Scientific Name: Felis silvestris catus
Cats, along with dogs, are among the most popular pets worldwide. These animals have acute hearing and smell, which helps them in hunting prey in the wild. They use their sharp claws and teeth to prey on small rodents, birds, and other animals smaller than them. These creatures’ sweat glands are located on their paws, just like dogs. However, this isn’t enough to completely remove the heat from their bodies. Cats sweat through their paws, but licking their coats also helps them lower their body temperature.
Baboons
Scientific Name: Papio anubis
Baboons are an Old World monkey species. They’re indigenous to Africa and can be found in savannas, bushlands, and grasslands. Baboons typically consume grasses, leaves, shoots, roots, fruits, and seeds, but will also consume insects when available. They have sweat glands all over their bodies that are activated by heat, just like other primates. Sweat is produced to keep baboons cool in hot weather. Baboons’ hands, like those of all primates, have opposable thumbs, which give them an advantage over other animals in terms of grasping. This makes it easier for them to climb trees or branches in the wild while looking for food.
In conclusion, while not all animals sweat like humans do, there are still a significant number of species that rely on sweating to regulate their body temperature. From chimpanzees and horses to dogs and cats, sweating is an essential mechanism that helps these animals stay cool in hot weather. Understanding how animals sweat and the different methods they employ to regulate their body temperature can provide valuable insights into their behavior and adaptations to their environments.