National Science + Engineering Competition: Ugly Animals

The Ugly Animal campaign was organised by the Ugly Animal Preservation Trust with support from the British Science Association to highlight the fact that all animals - not just the cute and pretty ones - need preservation and support. There have been many campaigns to raise awareness of the needs of endangered animals but these have tended to focus on beautiful, cute and fluffy species. Ecosystems, however, need the less aesthetically-pleasing animals just as much and these are species that are less likely to attract support campaigns.

Using these resources students can undertake their own ugly animals project, looking at how extinction of species affects the ecosystem, the medical and other benefits that some ugly animals can bring, adaptation and evolution, and considering how we decide that an animal is ugly. Students can also undertake activities to help endangered species, such as building a bat box.