To succeed in this goal, the scientists behind the EDGE program must focus on the lovable aspects of their ugly animals—whether it's a dash of color or the way they waddle about. This long-beaked echidna, with its black spines, curving snout, and spiky tongue, doesn't have any of the baby-faced features we naturally adore. But research like Stokes' is teaching conservationists what else they can use to sell their programs to the public. Perhaps there's a way to make the wacky echidna more appealing without turning it into Mickey Mouse.