Student work sample for final argumentative presentation in WRIT 3257: Scientific & Technical Presentations. Posted with permission of the author.

1. In Defense of Ugly Animals Human Preferences and Animal Conservation Efforts

2. Goodbye to the Aye Aye

3. The Aye Aye of Madagascar

5. Don’t you love me?

6. Aesthetic Qualities

7. Cute Animal = $$$$$ Ugly animal = $

8. How can we use human preferences to make new conservation programs successful?

9. All animals have intrinsic value

10. American attitudes toward wildlife.

11. 9 Values Utilitarian Ecological Scientific Humanistic Moralistic Dominionistic Negativistic Naturalistic Aesthetic

12. Primary preference factor: distinctive aesthetic qualities

13. Key features Size Physical appearance Texture Movement Power Danger

14. Is this an endangered species?

15. big beautiful fast

16. ugly harmful disgusting

17. Dislike reptiles amphibians invertebrates Like mammals birds fish

18. Neotony: The “Cute” Factor

19. The look of neoteny: big eyes big head stub nose pudgy cheeks

20. Humans are attracted to animals with neotenous features because they resemble human babies.

21. Neoteny sells.

23. The evolution of Mickey Mouse.

25. Penguins score high on the cute scale.

26. Chinstrap penguin King penguin

27. King penguin Crested penguin

28. Human aesthetic preferences influence conservation policy and programs.

30. Majestic and symbolic

31. Charismatic Megafauna

32. Noble

33. small & plain

34. Embrace the “cute factor.”

35. “ … focus on the lovable aspects of ugly animals—whether it’s a dash of color or the way they waddle about.”

36. Slender Slow Loris

37. No More Cute.

38. All nonhuman species should be conserved.

39. Americans recognize the dependence of society and its economy on a healthy ecosystem.

40. Ecological education is paying off.

41. No more supermodels.

42. Biodiversity is good.

43. Ugly but important.

44. Ugly but industrious.

45. Knut is still cute.

47. The end.