Qualifications
- BSc
- PGCert
- PhD / DPhil (University of Stirling)
Summary
Formally trained in zoology and psychology, Dr Morton is a university lecturer specialising in animal psychology and wildlife conservation.
Dr Morton's research primarily focuses on understanding the behaviour and problem-solving abilities of wild carnivores, particularly foxes, badgers, and pine martens in the United Kingdom through a programme he established in 2021 called the British Carnivore Project (BCP). The primary goals of BCP are to understand what factors drive behavioural adaptability in animals, and how this impacts human attitudes and behaviour towards nature in an ever-changing world.
Dr Morton's research is published in world-leading journals for animal behaviour and cognition, and attracts major global media attention, such as the BBC, The Guardian, TIME, and National Geographic. His work has been funded by different grants, such as the UKRI’s Natural Environment Research Council, Wild Animal Initiative, and the prestigious Newton Fund. In 2022, he was awarded a ‘Research Excellence Award’ from the University of Hull.
In addition to his research, Dr Morton is the founder and co-director of the recently-established Hull Animal Behaviour Centre, which is comprised of research programmes in the UK, mainland Europe, and North America. He is the founder and convenor of the Behaviour & Ecology Research Group at the University of Hull, which was establish in 2023 in light of his growing track record for research on wildlife psychology and conservation. Since 2023, he has served as an associate editor for Royal Society Publishing and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the UK’s national Badger Trust.
For further information about Dr Morton, visit: https://www.blakemorton.co.uk/
For further information about The British Carnivore Project, visit: https://www.blakemorton.co.uk/case-studies/
Journal Article
Communicating information about the psychology of a wild carnivore, the red fox, influences perceived attitudinal changes but not overall tolerance in people
Morton, F. B., Henri, D., Adaway, K., Adaway, K. A., Soulsbury, C., Soulsbury, C. D., & Hopkins, C. R. (2024). Communicating information about the psychology of a wild carnivore, the red fox, influences perceived attitudinal changes but not overall tolerance in people. Biological Conservation, 296, Article 110653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110653
Urban foxes are bolder but not more innovative than their rural conspecifics
Morton, F. B., Gartner, M., Norrie, E. M., Haddou, Y., Soulsbury, C. D., & Adaway, K. A. (2023). Urban foxes are bolder but not more innovative than their rural conspecifics. Animal behaviour, 203, 101-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.07.003
Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities
Marsh, C. J., Sica, Y. V., Burgin, C. J., Dorman, W. A., Anderson, R. C., del Toro Mijares, I., Vigneron, J. G., Barve, V., Dombrowik, V. L., Duong, M., Guralnick, R., Hart, J. A., Maypole, J. K., McCall, K., Ranipeta, A., Schuerkmann, A., Torselli, M. A., Lacher, T., Mittermeier, R. A., Rylands, A. B., …Jetz, W. (2022). Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities. Journal of Biogeography, 979-992. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14330
Studying animal innovation at the individual level: A ratings-based assessment in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] sp.).
Morton, F. B., Buchanan-Smith, H. M., Brosnan, S. F., Thierry, B., Paukner, A., Essler, J. L., Marcum, C. S., & Lee, P. C. (2021). Studying animal innovation at the individual level: A ratings-based assessment in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] sp.). Journal of Comparative Psychology, 135(2), 258-265. https://doi.org/10.1037/com0000264
Research interests
animal behaviour, cognition, and wildlife conservation
Lead investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Are we making urban wildlife sick?
Funder
Wild Animal Initiative
Grant
£17,466.00
Started
1 October 2024
Status
Ongoing
Project
NERC Discipline Hopping: Conservation, psychology, and pests
Funder
NERC Natural Environment Research Council
Grant
£12,735.00
Started
1 December 2022
Status
Complete
Co-investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Does music with an environmental message drive a more positive attitude towards pro-environmental behaviours? A pilot study
Funder
Sempre
Grant
£3,000.00
Started
1 October 2024
Status
Ongoing
Project
Behaviour of European beavers, Castor fiber, in UK reintroduction trials
Funder
Forestry England
Grant
£1,000.00
Started
1 April 2021
Status
Complete
Postgraduate supervision
Dr Morton welcomes applications from students interested in animal behaviour, cognition, and wildlife conservation, including research on human-nature connections. Dr Morton also offers research internships and placement opportunities for students, so please contact him directly (b.morton@hull.ac.uk) to find out more.
Current PhD Projects:
-- G. Freer (2024 - Present). Are we making urban wildlife sick?
-- K. Sutter (2024 - Present). Animal psychology, public attitudes, and human-driven climate change in wild British carnivores.
-- D. Jones (2023 - Present). Linking behavioural syndromes to public attitudes and behaviour towards wild mammalian carnivores.
-- K. Adaway (2022 - Present). Behavioural responses to environmental changes in wild mammalian carnivores: A multidisciplinary perspective.
Examples of Past and Current MSc Projects:
-- S. Mitchell (2023). Public feeding of wildlife in the UK.
-- E. Cooper (2023). Canine cognition and behaviour.
-- A. Dawodu (2022). Novel feeding competition between wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and other British carnivores.