Image caption, His book The Naked Ape was a controversial sensation when it was released in 1967BySam WoodhousePublished20 April 2026 Desmond Morris, the zoologist, author, artist and television presenter, has died aged 98. Morris was best known for his book, The Naked Ape, which was published in 1967. It framed modern humans as still being fundamentally ape-like despite our technological advances and evolution. He was also a surrealist painter and exhibited his work around the world alongside artists such as Joan Miró. Morris's son Jason confirmed his death on 20 April, calling his father "a great man and an even better father and grandfather", who lived "a lifetime of exploration, curiosity and creativity". Morris in his office at London Zoo, where he served as the curator of mammals "Sexual intercourse began," wrote Philip Larkin, "in 1963… between the end of the [Lady] Chatterley['s Lover] ban and the Beatles' first LP."
Published: April 20, 2026 2:12 pm
Source: BBC — Read original