Project Gecko
Winner Announcement:
A few years ago, Dr. Aaron Bauer discovered a species of gecko far away in the mountaintops of New Caledonia. This species was in need of a name. Zilla scoured the nation for almost a year, encouraging 4th – 6th graders to create the perfect name to bestow upon this species of gecko. We received more than a thousand entries.
Finally, one was chosen -- Bavayia periclitata.
Zilla is thrilled to announce the Grand Prize winner of Project Gecko!
4th Grade Student
Oaklyn Elementary School
Species Name: Bavayia periclitata
Project Gecko Entry:
“The Latin name of a species usually tells you something about where the animal lives, how big it is, or what it looks like. However, I think the most important thing about Geckos now is that many are in danger of extinction. So I think we should call this new species ‘periclitata’, which means ‘endangered.’ Giving the new species this name will remind us all to take care of this beautiful lizard, and to stop destroying our planet.”
Gemma dared to be different and strayed away from using typical Latin names that describe the gecko’s habitat or physical features. Instead she named the new gecko species Bavayia periclitata, meaning “endangered” in Latin. Gemma says she chose this name to help emphasize the importance of taking care of geckos, other endangered species and our environment in general.
“I chose this name because it means endangered and it will make people think about how our geckos are disappearing and are on the endangered list. I hope people will try harder to protect our geckos,” said Gemma. “Winning Project Gecko means a lot to me because I named a whole new species of gecko for eternity and giving the gecko this name may mean there’s a better chance to help other species.”
In addition to Gemma, Project Gecko also selected individual grade student winners Madilyn Bragg of West Monroe, LA for the fifth grade and Daniel Carr of Tampa, FL for the sixth grade.
Fifth Grade Individual Winner:
Madilyn Bragg
West Monroe, LA
Species Name: Bavayia brunatecta
Project Gecko Entry:
“I chose Bavayia brunatecta because geckos hide during the day and come out at night. I read that the geckos in the genus Bavayia have brown bands. Since bruna means brown in Latin, I felt it described the animal’s color. I chose tecta because it means secretive and disguised since this gecko hides in the bark of trees.”
Sixth Grade Individual Winner:
Daniel Carr
Tampa, FL
Species Name: Bavayia abscondita
Project Gecko Entry:
“The Latin word abscondita means hidden or secret. I think the new gecko species Bavayia abscondita not only accurately describes this gecko’s behavior (hiding under rocks during the day), but also gives a clue as to why it was only recently discovered. Because it is rare to discover a new species, this new gecko must be very good at hiding in secret little places under rocks.”
Thank You!
Zilla would like to give a special thank you to their sponsors in donating their time, work and resources in accompaniment of their fantastic prizes for the winners:
And last, but certainly not least - Zilla would like to thank you – the participants of Project Gecko. Your hard work, time and creativity displayed in the Project Gecko entries have allowed this project to be more than a contest, but a chance to learn while having fun - making this truly a special event. Not only have we achieved in sharing with you the discoveries of science that are occurring each and every day – your imaginations and creativity have shown us that the greatest discoveries are yet to come.
Can't enough of Project Gecko? Download the activities in the teacher packs.
Gecko Naming Guide - click here
Word Search - click here
How to Draw a Gecko - click here
Gecko Origami - click here
Sponsored by:
