British zoologist Desmond Morris, known for his best-seller “The Naked Ape”, which describes the human species through the eyes of an ethologist, died on Sunday at the age of 98, we learned on Monday from his son.
“A zoologist, observer of humanity, author and artist, he continued to write and paint until his death,” Jason Morris said in a statement, praising “a lifetime of discovery, curiosity and creativity.” “He was a great man and an even better father and grandfather,” his son once again paid tribute to him.
Born in the south of England in 1928, Desmond Morris is known worldwide for his essay “The Naked Monkey”, published in 1967. It has sold more than 10 million copies and translated around the world.
Also a painter, long fascinated by surrealism, he exhibited some of his works alongside the Spanish master Joan Miró in 1950.
He studied zoology at the University of Birmingham and then at the University of Oxford. He said that the study of zoology began as a way to nourish his art.
Passionate about science and its popularization, he was responsible for a television and film unit at London Zoo. Like his contemporary David Attenborough, he used television to introduce zoology to the general public.
