Ugly Animal Appreciation Society | (Zoology Club)

We love the baby pandas and the puppies and the koalas, but some animals are just plain...ugly. But these animals matter and are worth learning about and loving just as much as any other animal! 

Each week, we will learn about 2-3 ugly animals. Using slides, photos, short videos, and discussion, kids will get to learn the ecology, physiology, and behaviors of these rather unsightly animals. 

We will also discuss the conservation status, any threats to these species, and if there's anything that we, as the Ugly Animal Appreciation Society, can do to help protect our grotesque, hideous, or just plain unattractive animal friends. We are inspired by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, which aims to protect and conserve our ugly animal friends. According to their website, ugly animals are significantly less likely to be researched and protected. Who knows? Maybe after learning about these animals you'll decide that they are downright adorable!

Upcoming animals (subject to change based on student interest):
Week of November 8: Chinese giant salamander and naked mole rat
Week of November 15: Marabou stork and California condor
Week of November 22: Titicaca frog, turtle frog, and Suriname toad
Week of November 29: Visayan warty pigs and bobbit worm
Week of December 6: Goblin shark and hairy frog fish
Week of December 13: Proboscis monkey and Roti Island snake-necked turtle
-No classes will be held 12/22-1/2 for the Christmas holiday-
Week of January 3: Elephant seal and humphead parrotfish
Week of January 10: Star-nosed mole and horseshoe bat
Week of January 17: Wolf fish, monkfish, and sea pig
Week of January 24: Pink underwing moth and hagfish
Week of January 31: Dromedary jumping slug and Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys
Week of February 7: Humphead wrasse and giant Gippsland earthworm
Week of February 14: Long-beaked echidna, gastric brooding frog, and olm
Week of February 21: Cuban solenodon and shoebill stork
Week of February 28: Sulawesi babirusa, Pacific lamprey
Week of March 7: Spotted handfish, sturgeon, and prickly redfish
Week of March 14: Hooded seal and caecilian
Week of March 21: Galapagos marine iguana and paddlefish
Week of March 28: Bald-headed uakari and Yangtze giant softshell turtle
Week of April 4: Gharial and southern cassowary
Week of April 11: Dugong, purple pig-nosed frog, and prickly redfish
Week of April 18: Paddlefish, pink velvet worm, and ghost bat


My teaching style is energetic, humorous (at least I think so...), and supportive. I strive to create classes that are simultaneously rigorous, challenging, approachable, and fun for all learners. No prior experience or knowledge is required. I do emphasize throughout the course that we are not using ugly as an insult--we don't believe the appearance of an animal determines whether we should care about an animal or not. Students are always welcome to disagree on whether an animal is ugly or cute...or both!