Desmond Morris, the captivating face of the groundbreaking television showZoo Time, has died at the remarkable age of 98. He wasn’t just a presenter; he was a pioneering natural history expert who brought the wild world directly into the living rooms of a captivated nation.
Morris achieved widespread recognition for his influential book,The Naked Ape, and for hostingZoo Timefrom 1956 to 1967. He personally crafted and presented an astonishing 500 episodes of the show, alongside 100 installments ofLife in the Animal Worldfor the BBC, cementing his place in television history.
Zoo Timewasn’t a carefully curated display; it was gloriously unpredictable. Viewers vividly remember the moments when a giant tortoise sent Morris tumbling, or when a lion decided to mark him as territory. A live escape by a venomous cobra added another layer of thrilling, unforgettable drama.
He passed away peacefully in Ireland, where he had resided since the loss of his beloved wife, Ramona, in 2018. He is survived by their son, carrying on a legacy of curiosity and wonder.
Morris’s work was profoundly ahead of its time, rooted in the belief that humanity is an integral part of the animal kingdom, inextricably linked to the natural world. He eloquently expressed this perspective with the memorable phrase: “Man is a risen ape and not a fallen angel.”
Born in Wiltshire in 1928, Morris’s path was unconventional. He served in the British Army before pursuing his passion for zoology at university, culminating in a doctorate in animal behaviour from Oxford University. This academic foundation fueled his unique approach to understanding and presenting the animal world.
His appointment as head of the Granada Television and Film Unit at the Zoological Society of London in 1956 provided a platform for innovation. He curated an exhibition of chimpanzee paintings at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in 1957, a bold move that sparked debate and garnered attention, even attracting the interest of Pablo Picasso, who purchased one of the artworks.
Morris published his first book,The Biology of Art, in 1963, coinciding with the launch ofZoo Time. However, it was the publication ofThe Naked Apein 1967 that catapulted him to stardom. The book, a groundbreaking exploration of human behaviour through an animalistic lens, became a phenomenal bestseller.
He continued to challenge conventional thinking withThe Human Zooin 1969, examining human behaviour within the urban environment. Beyond his scientific pursuits, Morris was a dedicated artist, creating thousands of surrealist paintings throughout his life.
Even in his later years, Morris remained actively engaged, producing television documentaries and contributing to a vast body of academic work, culminating in his autobiography published in 2006. He possessed a rare and enduring quality, describing himself as a “senile child” – a testament to his lifelong, unyielding curiosity.
As he approached his seventies, Morris expressed a simple wish: to be remembered as someone who never lost their childlike wonder. That legacy, vividly etched in the memories of generations, will undoubtedly endure.
