Desmond Morris, Zoologist and Surrealist Painter Who Wrote 'The Naked Ape', Dies at 98

Desmond Morris, the English zoologist and author of the influential 1967 book 'The Naked Ape', has died at age 98. His work compared human behavior to that of primates through a zoological lens, achieving widespread popularity. Morris studied zoology at the University of Birmingham, where he refused to conduct animal experiments, focusing instead on ethology—the study of animal behavior. He gained prominence in the UK through television programs aired on the private network ITV between 1956 and 1967, initially as a rival to naturalist David Attenborough, who worked for the BBC. Morris was also a surrealist painter, with works exhibited internationally. His theories that artistic expression is not exclusive to humans but also possible for primates were appreciated by artists Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró. In Italy, Morris and his famous book were widely discussed again in 2017 when Francesco Gabbani won the Sanremo festival with a song that referenced 'the naked ape' in its chorus. Morris expressed appreciation for the song and later met Gabbani.