Furry or spiny, thick and rough, or smooth and slick: sometimes it's necessary to look just skin-deep! That's because skin itself is one of the most important parts of our and animals' bodies. In fact, creatures of the wild have an amazing selection of "natural coverings." Get really close and see just how unusual skin can be. Each elephant has wrinkles in its lower leg as unique as a human's fingerprints. The grooves in the Australian thorny devil's flesh actually help it drink. Hippo's dense skin weighs one-fifth its entire weight--so it keeps this big fellow safe from the sun. The bat's rubbery flesh allows it to swoop and fly, while the African armadillo lizard (and the porcupine too) has prickly scales that protect it. Skin that's armored, slimy, alarming, tasty, scary, and perfect for a disguise: you'll find out about it all!