Dr Blake Morton
@drblakemorton.bsky.social
University lecturer in animal & human psychology. Inspired by biodiversity & conservation. Head of the #BritishCarnivoreProject 🦊🦡🧠🧩🌍 Check out my group's latest research: https://www.blakemorton.co.uk/
Pinned
Dr Blake Morton | Animal Behaviourist
www.blakemorton.co.uk
Interested in the #biodiversity crisis and how it links to #animal and #human #psychology? Check out my research group's website for updates on our latest work! 🦊🦡🧠🧩🌍 Link here: www.blakemorton.co.uk
#BritishCarnivoreProject @uniofhull.bsky.social
#BritishCarnivoreProject @uniofhull.bsky.social
Are cities domesticating #urban #foxes? Pleased to share this interview with #NationalGeographic stemming from our on-going research at the #BritishCarnivoreProject 🦊 🧠 🌃
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
Are foxes becoming domesticated?
Videos of friendly, gentle foxes approaching humans, seemingly wanting to play, are going viral on TikTok. But just because a species is sociable doesn't necessarily make it domesticated.
www.nationalgeographic.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Are cities domesticating #urban #foxes? Pleased to share this interview with #NationalGeographic stemming from our on-going research at the #BritishCarnivoreProject 🦊 🧠 🌃
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
Pleased to share our latest paper, "Embedding rewilding in policy: Perspectives on overcoming barriers and unlocking opportunities"🍃 #rewilding #biodiversity
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Embedding rewilding in policy: Perspectives on overcoming barriers and unlocking opportunities
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Pleased to share our latest paper, "Embedding rewilding in policy: Perspectives on overcoming barriers and unlocking opportunities"🍃 #rewilding #biodiversity
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Beyond criterion: cognitive flexibility in wild striated caracaras: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... | #BiologyLetters #Behaviour #Cognition #Ecology
November 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Beyond criterion: cognitive flexibility in wild striated caracaras: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... | #BiologyLetters #Behaviour #Cognition #Ecology
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
📣 Register for #CO32026 and join our diverse community of comparative cognition researchers in Montréal this coming April (15-18)! 🍁🎉🙌🧪 Become a society member and submit an abstract by December 12th: www.comparativecognition.org/conference.php
Comparative Cognition Society - Conference (CO3)
www.comparativecognition.org
November 22, 2025 at 12:36 AM
📣 Register for #CO32026 and join our diverse community of comparative cognition researchers in Montréal this coming April (15-18)! 🍁🎉🙌🧪 Become a society member and submit an abstract by December 12th: www.comparativecognition.org/conference.php
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Final schedule for #ASABWinter2025 is up! We have some fantastic talks and posters ahead of us 🥰 ❄️ 🏴
asabwinter.github.io/2025/schedule/
asabwinter.github.io/2025/schedule/
November 20, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Final schedule for #ASABWinter2025 is up! We have some fantastic talks and posters ahead of us 🥰 ❄️ 🏴
asabwinter.github.io/2025/schedule/
asabwinter.github.io/2025/schedule/
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Conflict between humans and wildlife—and especially, carnivores—may increase during times of drought, a new #ScienceAdvances analysis of droughts in California suggests. https://scim.ag/47PutKx
Human-wildlife conflict is amplified during periods of drought
Public reports of conflict with wildlife increase during extended periods of lower precipitation.
scim.ag
November 18, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Conflict between humans and wildlife—and especially, carnivores—may increase during times of drought, a new #ScienceAdvances analysis of droughts in California suggests. https://scim.ag/47PutKx
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
A female wolf has been doing something unusual on the Central Coast of British Columbia. She's learned to pull crab traps up from the water, yanking on a rope to bring it to the surface. But is it tool use? Very fun story from @phiejacobs.bsky.social for @science.org
Have wild wolves learned to use tools?
Video captures a lone female pulling crab traps out of the water, but does it count as tool use?
www.science.org
November 17, 2025 at 7:53 PM
A female wolf has been doing something unusual on the Central Coast of British Columbia. She's learned to pull crab traps up from the water, yanking on a rope to bring it to the surface. But is it tool use? Very fun story from @phiejacobs.bsky.social for @science.org
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Apply now for a NERC-funded PhD position with @andyradford.bsky.social & Patrick Kennedy at @bristolbiosci.bsky.social (with me as friendly 2nd supervisor down the road in @crab-exeter.bsky.social). Network cognition, cooperation, competition...what's not to like?
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Funded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Funded PhD NERC GW4+ DLTP - Social monitoring and manipulation of cooperative exchanges at University of Bristol, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Apply now for a NERC-funded PhD position with @andyradford.bsky.social & Patrick Kennedy at @bristolbiosci.bsky.social (with me as friendly 2nd supervisor down the road in @crab-exeter.bsky.social). Network cognition, cooperation, competition...what's not to like?
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Thanks for the opportunity to give a talk #ABL2025 - great conference! For anyone interested in our new publication and latest preprint, see links below! 👇 🦝 🦊 🧩 🧠 🌃
Publication: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Publication: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Time in the city: Exploration and problem-solving behaviours reveal long-term urban adaptation in wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
Urbanisation is one of the most important forms of human-driven landscape change, creating novel situations in which some species thrive. Animals’ willingness to touch, explore, and solve novel challe...
doi.org
November 14, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Thanks for the opportunity to give a talk #ABL2025 - great conference! For anyone interested in our new publication and latest preprint, see links below! 👇 🦝 🦊 🧩 🧠 🌃
Publication: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Publication: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
So excited that our first major empirical @themanybirds.bsky.social paper is now out in @plosbiology.org!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird ...
journals.plos.org
October 14, 2025 at 7:40 PM
So excited that our first major empirical @themanybirds.bsky.social paper is now out in @plosbiology.org!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
New amazing open Postdoc position, w/t opportunities to 1) get closely involved in our next @themanybirds.bsky.social study on innovation and problem-solving; 2) work with @ecobird.bsky.social on avian innovation, cognition & invasiveness. Advert: www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
November 14, 2025 at 6:16 AM
New amazing open Postdoc position, w/t opportunities to 1) get closely involved in our next @themanybirds.bsky.social study on innovation and problem-solving; 2) work with @ecobird.bsky.social on avian innovation, cognition & invasiveness. Advert: www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Excited to share our newly published study on object neophobia and how it relates to problem-solving in #GoffinsCockatoos #TanimbarCorella!
@auersperga.bsky.social @mohara.bsky.social @bmioduszewska.bsky.social @plosone.org
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
@auersperga.bsky.social @mohara.bsky.social @bmioduszewska.bsky.social @plosone.org
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Seizing opportunities: Object neophobia as a factor mediating technical innovation in Goffin´s cockatoos?
Most studies find substantial inter-individual differences in problem-solving performance within a species, which can drastically influence an individual´s fitness. It has been suggested that innovati...
doi.org
November 12, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Excited to share our newly published study on object neophobia and how it relates to problem-solving in #GoffinsCockatoos #TanimbarCorella!
@auersperga.bsky.social @mohara.bsky.social @bmioduszewska.bsky.social @plosone.org
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
@auersperga.bsky.social @mohara.bsky.social @bmioduszewska.bsky.social @plosone.org
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
🐺 Advantageous snow conditions – in terms of snow depth and density – are among the most important features of the winter landscape for two apex predators, regardless of hunting strategy.
Read the full paper here ➡️ buff.ly/pXSMNRK
Read the full paper here ➡️ buff.ly/pXSMNRK
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
🐺 Advantageous snow conditions – in terms of snow depth and density – are among the most important features of the winter landscape for two apex predators, regardless of hunting strategy.
Read the full paper here ➡️ buff.ly/pXSMNRK
Read the full paper here ➡️ buff.ly/pXSMNRK
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
“Although Britain is believed to have one of the highest levels of membership of environmental organisations in the world,
this apparently pro-nature indicator was found to have little impact on closeness to nature”
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
this apparently pro-nature indicator was found to have little impact on closeness to nature”
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Britain one of least ‘nature-connected’ nations in world – with Nepal the most
Others languishing near bottom of 61-country study include Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan and Spain
www.theguardian.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:11 AM
“Although Britain is believed to have one of the highest levels of membership of environmental organisations in the world,
this apparently pro-nature indicator was found to have little impact on closeness to nature”
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
this apparently pro-nature indicator was found to have little impact on closeness to nature”
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs
The selective revision of beliefs in light of new evidence has been considered one of the hallmarks of human-level rationality. However, tests of this ability in other species are lacking. We examined...
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Biodiversity loss and wildlife declines can seem abstract and difficult to contextualise for general audiences. Studies like this can help bring a more relatable perspective to such issues. 🧪🌍
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The global biomass of mammals since 1850 - Nature Communications
Here, the authors estimate mammalian biomass from the 1850’s to today, tracking an increase of over five-fold in human and domesticated mammal biomass and a two-fold decrease in wild mammal biomass. R...
www.nature.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Biodiversity loss and wildlife declines can seem abstract and difficult to contextualise for general audiences. Studies like this can help bring a more relatable perspective to such issues. 🧪🌍
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Red Wolf advocate and conservation photographer Eric Trefney tells a moving story of that first time he heard a lone #wolf howl. Eric has seen Red Wolf puppies born, the tragic deaths of wolves, new packs being formed, and amazing, yet brief, one-on-one encounters.
Listen, See, Feel, Connect: What Wolves Have Taught Me About the Link Between Humans and Nature
What does nature sound like to you: Is it the haunting bugle of a bull elk? The mysterious call of the loon? Perhaps the low hoot of an owl? Or maybe the ancien
buff.ly
October 25, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Red Wolf advocate and conservation photographer Eric Trefney tells a moving story of that first time he heard a lone #wolf howl. Eric has seen Red Wolf puppies born, the tragic deaths of wolves, new packs being formed, and amazing, yet brief, one-on-one encounters.
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
the IUCN have passed the Longevity Conservation motion put forward to them by @kellerfish.bsky.social and @pili-scotland.bsky.social and based on the paper we wrote on the value of older individuals in animal societies.
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
Global body adopts policy to protect Earth’s old, wise and large animals | Charles Darwin University
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recognised Charles Darwin University-led research into the Earth’s oldest animals with the adoption of the ‘Longevity Conservation’ global...
www.cdu.edu.au
October 24, 2025 at 8:28 AM
the IUCN have passed the Longevity Conservation motion put forward to them by @kellerfish.bsky.social and @pili-scotland.bsky.social and based on the paper we wrote on the value of older individuals in animal societies.
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
Looking for something #spooky to read this October? 🎃 🍂
Check out Story 3 of our free online #nature booklet for young readers, entitled The Mysterious Bin Phantom! 👻 🗑️ 🦊 #BritishCarnivoreProject
Link here: www.blakemorton.co.uk/download/129...
Check out Story 3 of our free online #nature booklet for young readers, entitled The Mysterious Bin Phantom! 👻 🗑️ 🦊 #BritishCarnivoreProject
Link here: www.blakemorton.co.uk/download/129...
www.blakemorton.co.uk
October 22, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Looking for something #spooky to read this October? 🎃 🍂
Check out Story 3 of our free online #nature booklet for young readers, entitled The Mysterious Bin Phantom! 👻 🗑️ 🦊 #BritishCarnivoreProject
Link here: www.blakemorton.co.uk/download/129...
Check out Story 3 of our free online #nature booklet for young readers, entitled The Mysterious Bin Phantom! 👻 🗑️ 🦊 #BritishCarnivoreProject
Link here: www.blakemorton.co.uk/download/129...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
🚨 Hiring a field technician! Help us live-trap (for GPS collars) and camera-trap mesocarnivores in Wichita, KS! See details here: docs.google.com/document/d/1... 🧪🦊🐱
Tech position - urban mesocarnivores
Field technician: Utah State University, Department of Wildland Resources Project: Mesocarnivore urban ecology. Description: We are seeking a field technician to capture and fit GPS collars on coyotes...
docs.google.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:40 PM
🚨 Hiring a field technician! Help us live-trap (for GPS collars) and camera-trap mesocarnivores in Wichita, KS! See details here: docs.google.com/document/d/1... 🧪🦊🐱
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
October 18 is World Okapi Day!
Did you know okapis form mental maps of their habitat?
#AnimalCognitionFunFacts #WorldOkapiDay #Okapi
Did you know okapis form mental maps of their habitat?
#AnimalCognitionFunFacts #WorldOkapiDay #Okapi
October 18, 2025 at 6:52 PM
October 18 is World Okapi Day!
Did you know okapis form mental maps of their habitat?
#AnimalCognitionFunFacts #WorldOkapiDay #Okapi
Did you know okapis form mental maps of their habitat?
#AnimalCognitionFunFacts #WorldOkapiDay #Okapi
Excited to share our latest preprint from the #BritishCarnivoreProject, showing #exploratory diversity and behavioural #innovation in #wild red #foxes may emerge after long-term #urban exposure across many decades. 🦊🧠🧩🌃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Time in the city: Exploration and problem-solving behaviours reveal long-term urban adaptation in wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
Urbanisation is one of the most important forms of human-driven landscape change, creating novel situations in which some species thrive. Animals' willingness to touch, explore, and solve novel challe...
www.biorxiv.org
September 29, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Excited to share our latest preprint from the #BritishCarnivoreProject, showing #exploratory diversity and behavioural #innovation in #wild red #foxes may emerge after long-term #urban exposure across many decades. 🦊🧠🧩🌃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Excited to share our latest paper from our on-going #BritishCarnivoreProject, showing that encounters with wild red #foxes could be an important gateway to broader #nature connectedness in people, particularly in cities. 🦊🍃🏙️ Link here: doi.org/10.1080/1087...
Experiencing the wild: red fox encounters are related to stronger nature connectedness, not anxiety, in people
Frequent and positive wildlife experiences can strengthen people’s physical and mental connection with nature, potentially improving public health and pro-environmental behaviors. Red foxes are the...
doi.org
September 23, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Excited to share our latest paper from our on-going #BritishCarnivoreProject, showing that encounters with wild red #foxes could be an important gateway to broader #nature connectedness in people, particularly in cities. 🦊🍃🏙️ Link here: doi.org/10.1080/1087...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
New York’s updated wildlife plan leaves wolves out, despite evidence they’re here. In 2021, a wolf was killed near Cooperstown, yet NY refuses to collect DNA or include wolves in its plan. Wolves deserve protection, not denial.
cbs6albany.com/news/local/s...
cbs6albany.com/news/local/s...
Should wolves be part of NY's conservation priorities?
Should New York include wolves in their wildlife conservation plan? The DEC is finalizing its 10-year Wildlife Action Plan and it doesn't include wolves.
cbs6albany.com
September 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
New York’s updated wildlife plan leaves wolves out, despite evidence they’re here. In 2021, a wolf was killed near Cooperstown, yet NY refuses to collect DNA or include wolves in its plan. Wolves deserve protection, not denial.
cbs6albany.com/news/local/s...
cbs6albany.com/news/local/s...
Reposted by Dr Blake Morton
Should We Sleep Outside? Turns Out There Are Some Benefits
Should We Sleep Outside? Turns Out There Are Some Benefits
“Greenspace exposure” is associated with some decent health outcomes.
www.iflscience.com
September 21, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Should We Sleep Outside? Turns Out There Are Some Benefits