VIDEO

VIDEO

Saving the Creeps

Saving the Creeps

Emerging Explorer and zoologist Lucy Cooke is on a one-woman crusade to champion ugly and unloved creatures so vital to Earth's biodiversity.

Grades

5 - 12+

Subjects

Biology, Conservation

Program
NG Live

This video was filmed on Wednesday, June 13th at the 2012 National Geographic Explorers Symposium at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., United States.

Introduction
Quick! Which species pulls at your heartstrings—a tiger cub or an algae-covered sloth? A panda or a toad? When it comes to emotional attachment, global popularity, and conservation support, the fluffier your fur and the bigger your eyes, the better your chances—unless zoologist Lucy Cooke has a vote. She's on a one-woman crusade to show the world why some of the most unlovable animals are actually the most interesting and deserving of our attention, study, and protection.


Outline

  • Making ugly and unloved animals popular (start-02:40 min.)
  • Cooke's career and desire to tell the story of uncharismatic animals (02:41-04:52 min.)
  • Using the digital revolution to broadcast the real-time adventures of the Amphibian Avenger (04:53-07:55 min.)
  • The next adventure: sloths (07:56-08:48 min.)
  • Video: Meet the residents of the Aviarios sloth orphanage (08:49-09:55 min.)
  • Founding the Sloth Appreciation Society (09:56-12:13 min.)
  • Sharing the love: fighting to save small animals as well as big animals (12:14-13:24 min.)
  • Freaks and Creeps: a National Geographic Television mini-series (13:25-14:21 min.)
  • Reaching an audience who cares (14:22-14:53 min.)


Strategies for Using Video in a Variety of Learning Environments

  • Have students preview several of the videos and choose the one they find most inspiring. Have students describe in writing a conversation they might have with the speaker(s).
  • Freeze the video on a relevant image. Have students observe details in the still image and jot down predictions of what the full video might address. Discuss students’ ideas before and after watching the video.
  • Pose an open-ended question before students watch the video, and have them discuss their ideas before and after in small groups.
  • Have students determine what they think the key message of this video is. Was the speaker effective in getting his or her message across?
  • Show a short clip to engage students during class, and then have students watch the full video at home and write a paragraph responding to the content or a question you give them.
  • Have students note statements that represent facts or opinions, including where it’s difficult to tell the difference. What further research might help distinguish facts and opinions? How might the speaker’s viewpoint compare with others’ viewpoints about a topic?
Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Page Producers
Nina Page, National Geographic Society
Samantha Zuhlke, National Geographic Society
other
Last Updated

December 3, 2024

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

Media

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service.

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources