This Friday, May 25, is Don't Fry Day at Dickerson Park Zoo. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention reminds you to Slip! Slop! Slap! or Wrap! the Friday before Memorial Day every year.
- Slip on a shirt.
- Slop on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the council recommends SPF 30).
- Slap on a wide-brimmed hat.
- Wrap on sunglasses.
Remember to follow safe sun practices whenever you and your family are outdoors.
Did you know that one particular resident at Dickerson Park Zoo has his own natural sunscreen? Henry, like all other hippopotamuses, secretes a thick red substance from his pores. Along with being a natural sunscreen, this mucous keeps a hippo's skin moist while on land which prevents dehydration. This mucous also acts as an antibiotic warding off infection on even large wounds on a hippopotamus's skin.
How long can a hippopotamus stay submerged in water?
A. 1-2 minutes
B. 5-6 minutes
C. 10-12 minutes
D. 15-17 minutes
Email your answer by Wednesday at noon to trivia@dickersonparkzoo.org for your chance to win a pair of one-day passes to Dickerson Park Zoo! Remember to include your mailing address for your chance to win.
Check our FOZblog on Wednesday for the correct answer and more information about hippopotamuses.

