Desmond Morris: Difference between revisions

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~~{{Construction Site}}~~

'''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' ({{LifeData|birth=1928-01-24|birthplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purton Purton], Wiltshire|birthcountry=[[United Kingdom]]|death=2026-04-19|deathplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naas Naas], County Kildare|deathcountry=Ireland}})

'''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' ({{LifeData|birth=1928-01-24|birthplace=Purton, Wiltshire|birthcountry=[[United Kingdom]]|death=2026-04-19|deathplace=Naas, County Kildare|deathcountry=Ireland}})

The late Desmond John Morris, Ph.D., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.

The late Desmond John Morris, Ph.D., D.Sc., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.

Morris was a strong opponent of all forms of genital cutting and sexual mutilation, including [[child circumcision]].

===Early life===

==Early life==

Morris was born in Purton, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiltshire Wiltshire], to Marjorie (née Hunt) and children's fiction author Harry Morris.

Morris was born in Purton, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiltshire Wiltshire], to Marjorie (née Hunt) and children's fiction author Harry Morris. A few years later the family moved to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swindon Swindon].

In his teen years he attended [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dauntsey%27s_School Dauncey's School], an upscale coeducational school in the country on 150 acres of land.<ref>[https://www.dauntseys.org/ Dauntsey's School]</ref> This may be where he acquired his interest in nature.

~~He attended [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dauntsey%27s_School Dauncey's School]~~

==Adult life==

Morris enlisted in the British Army for two years at age 18 in 1946 to perform his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_service national service].

After completing his national service, Morris started to study zoology at the [https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/ University of Birmingham].

Morris commenced his studies at the [https://www.ox.ac.uk/ University of Oxford] in 1951. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 1954.

Morris served as curator of mammals for the [https://www.londonzoo.org/ London Zoo] from 1959 to 1967.

==Personal life==

Morris married Ramona Baulch in July 1952.<ref name="morris2012">{{REFnews

|title=My secret of 60 years of marital bliss

|url=https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-2191767/Desmond-Morris-diamond-wedding-testament-primeval-urge-mate-life.html

|last=Morris

|first=Desmond

|init=

|author-link=Desmond Morris

|publisher=The Daily Mail

|website=

|date=2012-08-22

|accessdate=2026-06-06

|format=

|quote=

}}</ref> They made their home in North Oxford. They had one son—Jason.

===Articles===

Morris wrote articles throughout his long life. His prodigious output is indexed on his website. Please see [http://www.desmond-morris.com/articles.php Selected Articles].

Dr. Morris wrote articles throughout his long life. His prodigious output is indexed on his website. Please see [http://www.desmond-morris.com/articles.php Selected Articles].

A search at [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ PubMed] for "Morris DJ" produces a list of 256 published articles. It is not clear how many of these were authored by Desmond John Morris.

===Books===

Dr. Morris is credited with the authorship of 104 books. For a complete list see [http://www.desmond-morris.com books.php Bibliography]

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===Commentary on male and female genital cutting and genital mutilation===

IntactiWiki is pleased to present this monograph by Desmond Morris regarding genital cutting and mutilation.

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For thousands of years, in many different cultures, the genitals have fallen victim to an amazing variety of mutilations and restrictions. For organs that are capable of giving us an immense amount of pleasure They have given us an inordinate amount of pain.

The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well ~~advance~~ in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.

The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well advanced in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.

It has been claimed that one of the oldest reasons for performing male circumcision—the removal of the foreskin—is that it provoked immortality in the shape of life after death. This odd notion was based on the observation that when the snake sheds its skin it emerges with glistening new scales and is “reborn.” If the snake can enjoy rebirth by the removal of skin, so too can the human being. For snake read penis; for snake-skin read foreskin.

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—Desmond Morris (Circa 1985)

</blockquote>

<hr>

==Videos==

===Desmond Morris (Writer))===

<youtube>v=rfe8nKkVUPo&list=PLVV0r6CmEsFwtuDq9yKrhqqkJ-Era-N7w&index=3</youtube>

===Desmond Morris - Cheating death even before birth (1/37)===

<youtube>v=aZoJbK9hBMo</youtube>

===Desmond Morris - Human beings - just another species of animal? (23/37)===

<youtube>v=taFeI6TwAOQ</youtube>

===Zoology and the Human Animal===

===Male genital mutilation ritual from Desmond Morris - The Human Sexes===

<youtube>v=QaFtcIrtbm0</youtube>

===Desmond Morris - 'The Human Zoo' (25/37)===

======

<youtube>v=1wlGhIh1lfE</youtube>

===Desmond Morris - Avoiding death for the second time (3/37)===

======

<youtube>v=rfe8nKkVUPo</youtube>

===Desmond Morris - Contemplating death and the afterlife (37/37)===

===Desmond Morris - ~~Avoiding~~ death ~~for~~ the ~~second time~~ (3/37===

<youtube>v=3uddkAIHTEc</youtube>

===Desmond Morris passes away (1928 - 2026) (UK) - UK News - 20/Apr/2026===

<youtube>v=N9fVSDziV6o</youtube>

==Death==

Following the death of his wife, Ramona, in November 2018, Desmond Morris left his home in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford Oxford] in June 2019 and moved to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Kildare County Kildare] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland Ireland] to live close to his son, Jason, and his family there.

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|accessdate=2026-06-05

}}</ref>

* [[Alice Miller]]

* [[Cervical cancer]]

* [[Child circumcision]]

* [[Circumcision of the newborn]]

* [[Financial incentive]]

* [[Foreskin]]

* [[Penile cancer]]

* [[Risks and complications]]

* {{URLwebsite|http://www.desmond-morris.com/|2026-06-04}}

* {{URLwikipedia|Desmond_Morris|Desmond Morris}}

* {{REFweb

|url=http://www.desmond-morris.com/biography.php

|title=Biography of Desmond John Morris

|last=Williams

|first=David

|init=

|author-link=

|publisher=The Desmond Morris Information Page

|date=2022-09-20

|accessdate=2026-06-06

}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Construction Site}}
+'''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' ({{LifeData|birth=1928-01-24|birthplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purton Purton], Wiltshire|birthcountry=[[United Kingdom]]|death=2026-04-19|deathplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naas Naas], County Kildare|deathcountry=Ireland}})
-'''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' ({{LifeData|birth=1928-01-24|birthplace=Purton, Wiltshire|birthcountry=[[United Kingdom]]|death=2026-04-19|deathplace=Naas, County Kildare|deathcountry=Ireland}})
-The late <b>Desmond John Morris</b>, Ph.D., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.
+The late <b>Desmond John Morris</b>, Ph.D., D.Sc., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.
 Morris was a strong opponent of all forms of genital cutting and sexual mutilation, including [[child circumcision]].
-===Early life===
+==Early life==
-Morris was born in Purton, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiltshire Wiltshire], to Marjorie (née Hunt) and children's fiction author Harry Morris.
+Morris was born in Purton, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiltshire Wiltshire], to Marjorie (née Hunt) and children's fiction author Harry Morris. A few years later the family moved to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swindon Swindon].
+In his teen years he attended [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dauntsey%27s_School Dauncey's School], an upscale coeducational school in the country on 150 acres of land.<ref>[https://www.dauntseys.org/ Dauntsey's School]</ref> This may be where he acquired his interest in nature.
-He attended [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dauntsey%27s_School Dauncey's School]
 ==Adult life==
 Morris enlisted in the British Army for two years at age 18 in 1946 to perform his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_service national service].
+After completing his national service, Morris started to study zoology at the [https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/ University of Birmingham].
+Morris commenced his studies at the [https://www.ox.ac.uk/ University of Oxford] in 1951. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 1954.
+Morris served as curator of mammals for the [https://www.londonzoo.org/ London Zoo] from 1959 to 1967.
+==Personal life==
+Morris married Ramona Baulch in July 1952.<ref name="morris2012">{{REFnews
+ |title=My secret of 60 years of marital bliss
+ |url=https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-2191767/Desmond-Morris-diamond-wedding-testament-primeval-urge-mate-life.html
+ |last=Morris
+ |first=Desmond
+ |init=
+ |author-link=Desmond Morris
+ |publisher=The Daily Mail
+ |website=
+ |date=2012-08-22
+ |accessdate=2026-06-06
+ |format=
+ |quote=
+}}</ref> They made their home in North Oxford. They had one son—Jason.
 {{PUB}}
 ===Articles===
-Morris wrote articles throughout his long life. His prodigious output is indexed on his website. Please see [http://www.desmond-morris.com/articles.php Selected Articles].
+Dr. Morris wrote articles throughout his long life. His prodigious output is indexed on his website. Please see [http://www.desmond-morris.com/articles.php Selected Articles].
+A search at [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ PubMed] for "Morris DJ" produces a list of 256 published articles. It is not clear how many of these were authored by Desmond John Morris.
 ===Books===
 Dr. Morris is credited with the authorship of 104 books. For a complete list see [http://www.desmond-morris.com books.php Bibliography]
@@ Line 96: / Line 121: @@
 ===Commentary on male and female genital cutting and genital mutilation===
 <br>
+IntactiWiki is pleased to present this monograph by Desmond Morris regarding genital cutting and mutilation.
 <br>
 <br>
@@ Line 108: / Line 134: @@
 For thousands of years, in many different cultures, the genitals have fallen victim to an amazing variety of mutilations and restrictions. For organs that are capable of giving us an immense amount of pleasure They have given us an inordinate amount of pain.
-The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well advance in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.
+The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well advanced in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.
 It has been claimed that one of the oldest reasons for performing male circumcision—the removal of the foreskin—is that it provoked immortality in the shape of life after death. This odd notion was based on the observation that when the snake sheds its skin it emerges with glistening new scales and is “reborn.” If the snake can enjoy rebirth by the removal of skin, so too can the human being. For snake read penis; for snake-skin read foreskin.
@@ Line 132: / Line 158: @@
 —Desmond Morris (Circa 1985)
 </blockquote>
+<br>
+<hr>
 ==Videos==
 ===Desmond Morris (Writer))===
 <youtube>v=rfe8nKkVUPo&list=PLVV0r6CmEsFwtuDq9yKrhqqkJ-Era-N7w&index=3</youtube>
+===Desmond Morris - Cheating death even before birth (1/37)===
+<youtube>v=aZoJbK9hBMo</youtube>
+===Desmond Morris - Human beings - just another species of animal? (23/37)===
+<youtube>v=taFeI6TwAOQ</youtube>
+===Zoology and the Human Animal===
+<youtube>v=myL24gP20fo</youtube>
 ===Male genital mutilation ritual from Desmond Morris - The Human Sexes===
 <youtube>v=QaFtcIrtbm0</youtube>
+===Desmond Morris - 'The Human Zoo' (25/37)===
-======
+<youtube>v=1wlGhIh1lfE</youtube>
-<youtube></youtube>
+===Desmond Morris - Avoiding death for the second time (3/37)===
-======
+<youtube>v=rfe8nKkVUPo</youtube>
-<youtube></youtube>
+===Desmond Morris - Contemplating death and the afterlife (37/37)===
-===Desmond Morris - Avoiding death for the second time (3/37===
+<youtube>v=3uddkAIHTEc</youtube>
-<youtube></youtube>
 ===Desmond Morris passes away (1928 - 2026) (UK) - UK News - 20/Apr/2026===
 <youtube>v=N9fVSDziV6o</youtube>
 ==Death==
 Following the death of his wife, Ramona, in November 2018, Desmond Morris left his home in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford Oxford] in June 2019 and moved to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Kildare County Kildare] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland Ireland] to live close to his son, Jason, and his family there.
@@ Line 170: / Line 201: @@
   |accessdate=2026-06-05
 }}</ref>
+{{SEEALSO}}
+* [[Alice Miller]]
+* [[Cervical cancer]]
+* [[Child circumcision]]
+* [[Circumcision of the newborn]]
+* [[Financial incentive]]
+* [[Foreskin]]
+* [[Penile cancer]]
+* [[Risks and complications]]
 {{LINKS}}
 * {{URLwebsite|http://www.desmond-morris.com/|2026-06-04}}
 * {{URLwikipedia|Desmond_Morris|Desmond Morris}}
+* {{REFweb
+ |url=http://www.desmond-morris.com/biography.php
+ |title=Biography of Desmond John Morris
+ |last=Williams
+ |first=David
+ |init=
+ |author-link=
+ |publisher=The Desmond Morris Information Page
+ |date=2022-09-20
+ |accessdate=2026-06-06
+}}
 {{REF}}