Dr Blake Morton

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

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...

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...

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...

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!

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...

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...

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...

🐺 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

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

“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/...

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...

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” 🧵

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...

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...

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

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.

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...

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-...

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...

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...

🚨 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... 🧪🦊🐱

October 18 is World Okapi Day. Animal Cognition Fun Facts by Animal Cognition Network.

October 18 is World Okapi Day!

Did you know okapis form mental maps of their habitat?

#AnimalCognitionFunFacts #WorldOkapiDay #Okapi

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...

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...

Thanks so much, Rachel, that’s very nice of you to say!

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...

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.

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...

Should We Sleep Outside? Turns Out There Are Some Benefits “Greenspace exposure” is associated with some decent health outcomes.

Should We Sleep Outside? Turns Out There Are Some Benefits

Thrilled to share this article in #TheGeographer covering our research at the #BritishCarnivoreProject, reaching >20,000 global readership plus a link to our free #nature booklet for young readers, here: t.co/RUV3M832Hf 🦊🧠🌃

Biological Sciences Review 2025-09-01 - Hodder Education Magazines

Thrilled our article made the front cover of the #educational magazine Biological Sciences Review by Hachette Learning 🦊🧠🧩🌃 #BritishCarnivoreProject @dylantj.bsky.social

magazines.hachettelearning.com/magazine/bio...

Our free #nature booklet for young readers, Urban Tails, has six stories - each covering a different season of the year. Be sure to read this month's story for August! Over 1,500 downloads and counting! 🦊🏙️🍃🌳 #BritishCarnivoreProject
Link here: www.blakemorton.co.uk/download/129...

Wild racoons are more innovative but not bolder than another generalist, the Virginia opossum, on a pull-string task Humans are altering natural environments at unprecedented rates. Ecological generalism is one of the strongest predictors of survival in light of thes…

Very pleased to share our latest #publication showing that differences an #innovation may shape finer-scale niche differences between two generalist species: wild #raccoons and #opossums 🦝🧠🧩 @kristyadaway.bsky.social

Link here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

An Evening With the Central Park Coyotes

Meet Romeo and Juliet, two coyotes who have made Central
Park their home for over a year. While sightings are rare, their presence is a reminder that wildlife finds a way, even in the busiest of cities.

Read more about their story: 🔗 bit.ly/3V73suz

Can’t make it to Edinburgh for #ASABWinter2025 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ? Did you know you can also register to attend online for free as well? 💻

Or even better, consider attending remotely with a group of colleagues by setting up a “hublet”!

More info here:
www.asab.org/conference-h...

Volunteer role: Chair for Environmental Psychology Section (Role ID: 213) | BPS The deadline for applications is 12 noon on 16 September 2025.

Are you a leader interested in advancing environmental psychology in the UK? Are you a member of @bpsenvpsych.bsky.social?

Applications are now open for the next Chair or Co-Chair BPS Environmental Psychology Section

Further details here: www.bps.org.uk/news/volunte...

Person with dog sitting on a bench under a tree with view looking over grassland towards a town. Credit Ben Lee/WTML

📅 It's #NationalRelaxationDay - a day we can definitely get on board with.

🧘‍♀️ Research shows, time spent in woodlands can lower blood pressure, boost mood and help clear a busy mind.

😌 Take a stroll, find a quiet spot under a tree, stop and simply be

Find a wood near you 👇
buff.ly/doHstLz

PhD position - urban mesocarnivores Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistantship: Utah State University, Department of Wildland Resources Project: Mesocarnivore urban ecology. Description: Dr. Jon Beckmann and Matt Peek at the Kansas Departmen...

Excellent PhD opportunity with @drjuliekyoung.bsky.social and colleagues in Kansas, working on #behavioural #ecology of red #foxes, #coyotes, and #bobcats! 🦊🐺 Info here: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

I'm pleased to share this new article by @svenkasser.bsky.social, Laura Fortunato @anthrolog.bsky.social, Marc Feldman and myself.

The article extends gene-culture coevolution to recognize evolutionary effects of culture arising through drift and migration.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Ever wondered whether other animals are curious?

Check out our new paper:

Do goldfish like to be informed?

Now out in Proceedings of the @royalsociety.org!
Co-lead by @monteirotiago.bsky.social during my PhD
@biology.ox.ac.uk with Mark Walton and Alex Kacelnik

doi.org/10.1098/rspb...