Zoologist Desmond Morris, known globally for his unflinching look at human behaviour in books like 'The Naked Ape', has passed away at the age of 98. Morris, who initially harboured ambitions as a modern artist, ultimately dedicated decades to examining humanity through the lens of zoology. His work often framed humans as another species within the animal kingdom, a perspective that generated both widespread fascination and considerable objection.
Morris's most significant contribution was arguably his reframing of human behaviour, not as something separate from nature, but as an integral part of it. He approached humans with the same detached observation he applied to other primates, exploring shared behaviours, rituals, and social structures. This approach, detailed across some 40 books including 'Manwatching', 'The Human Zoo', and 'Bodywatching', positioned him as a provocative voice that challenged conventional views, famously labelling religion a "confidence trick" and man an "ape that has risen."
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Morris also made significant inroads into popularising zoology through television. He scripted and hosted hundreds of programs, including the pioneering show 'Zoo Time' and the BBC's 'Life in the Animal World'. His contemporary, David Attenborough, became a friendly rival in the burgeoning medium, both bringing the study of animal life into homes.
Morris's assertion that gender differences were hard-wired, and that modern urbanisation had fostered an inappropriate societal split favouring competitive traits—akin to prehistoric hunting—drew particular criticism from feminists and some scientific circles. They objected to his contentions about evolved, task-specific roles for men and women.
Beyond his scientific and media endeavours, Morris was also a lifelong lover and practitioner of art, particularly surrealism. He painted thousands of canvases himself, and even a chimpanzee he trained, Congo, became a television personality before an injury curtailed its on-screen career. Morris’s early life included a period as a curator of mammals at London Zoo, a role from which he drew much of his observational material. He later returned to Oxford University as a research fellow, continuing his studies in animal behaviour.
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