Chris Morgan (ecologist)

Early life

Morgan was born 10 November 1968 in Wigan England, United Kingdom.

At the age of 18, while working at a summer camp in New Hampshire, Morgan met a bear biologist who invited him to help tranquilize, process and track American black bears at a study site in northern New Hampshire. Afterward, he changed his college focus from graphic design to ecology. At 19, he took a road trip to Northern Spain in search of bears and wolves to complete a report required for his Higher National Diploma in Conservation Management. He also took a six-month placement position with the Northwest Territories Department of Renewable Resources in 1991 to assist with grizzly bear, wolf, and muskox research. Also in his early 20's, Morgan traveled to the Canadian Rockies to collar and track grizzly bears for a research project near Banff National Park for two consecutive seasons, tracking grizzly bears by foot for over 2000 miles. In the 1990s, Morgan studied Spanish brown bears in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain, grizzly bears in Calgary and the Northwest Territories of Canada, and performed spectacled bear study viability research in Ecuador. In 1994, at the age of 26, Morgan joined the Himalayan Wildlife Project in Pakistan to research the brown bears of the Deosai Plateau.

Education

Morgan has received a Higher National Diploma in Conservation Management from Farnborough College of Technology, Farnborough, UK, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Ecology from East London, UK and a master's degree in Advanced Ecology from the University of Durham, UK. For his master's thesis research, Morgan studied female red squirrels in the southern Kielder Forest, England.

Wildlife Media

Morgan is the Executive Director of Wildlife Media, a non-profit production company whose debut feature film 'BEARTREK' promotes global bear conservation and education.

GBOP/WWO

Morgan was co-founder of the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP), now Western Wildlife Outreach (WWO) in 2002. The non-profit organization began with grizzly bear safety and coexistence education efforts, but has since expanded to include wolf and cougar education.

'BEARTREK' (Film)

Morgan's upcoming feature-length film 'BEARTREK' is an independent documentary/adventure/travel film located in Alaska, Peru, Borneo, and Manitoba, Canada that focuses on four bear species and four biologists who study them. Morgan conceived 'BEARTREK' as a film and campaign that would support bear conservation efforts around the world and is a collaboration between Morgan (Executive producer/host/narrator) and nature-cinematographer/director, Joe Pontecorvo (Producer/director). The 'BEARTREK' film documents the scientific studies of Robyn Appleton and her Spectacled Bear Conservation Society and their conservation efforts in Northern Peru; Dr. Nick Lunn on polar bears in Manitoba, Canada; Siew Te Wong on sun bears in Borneo; and Chris Morgan's experiences with brown/grizzly bears in Alaska. The documentary also features an element of adventure and discovery as Morgan rides his motorcycle to study sites. The 'BEARTREK' campaign is "a giant experiment that brings a new approach to raising awareness and funding for conservation through a high end theatrical film, a campaign, and a social media movement."

'Why Bears?' (Film)

Morgan co-wrote and narrated this short film made for teachers, scientists, non-profits and people interested in bears and preserving wild spaces. The film was made possible by an anonymous donation and was produced in partnership with Wildlife Media and TriFilm. The film's premise is that “What's good for bears is good for people and the planet.” It explains the ecological and conservation roles that bears can play, and that by protecting them it is conceivable to protect the area represented by their global distribution - about one third of the planet's land mass (does not include circumpolar ice region occupied by polar bears).

'Animal Homes'

On April 8, 15, and 22, 2015, a three-part series titled 'Animal Homes' hosted and narrated by Morgan aired on PBS 'NATURE.' 'Animal Homes' examines the various structures, building methods, and social networks utilized by animals in the wild to protect themselves and their young from predators, invaders, and the natural elements. The series' first episode ('The Nest') focuses on what birds build to house their clutches of eggs using only their beaks and feet and the social interactions they confront while incubating and raising their young. Morgan is shown trying his hand at building a structurally sound nest, testing the strength of other avian structures, and presenting the collection of bird's nests owned by the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University. Episode two ('Location Location Location'), examines the importance of choosing an appropriate environment for an animal's home and the strategies employed in maximizing their success. In the episode, Morgan observes the dam and lodge building rituals of beavers, the protective relationship between hummingbird bird nests and their proximity to those of raptors, and takes part in the processing of a mother black bear and her cubs who had been hibernating in the forests of Maryland. Morgan is featured in the third episode ('Animal Cities') observing a colony of nesting puffins in northwest Scotland, scuba diving off of Corsica to inspect the complex social and reproductive strategies of the oscillated wrasse, and excavating the fungal garden of a leaf-cutter ant nest in the rainforest.

'The Last Orangutan Eden'

Morgan hosted and narrated 'The Last Orangutan Eden' for PBS 'NATURE' which aired on February 25, 2015. To make this documentary about the dwindling population of orangutans and the efforts of conservationists to protect them, Morgan traveled to Northern Sumatra for filming. Morgan can be seen interacting with young orangutan orphans, searching the forest for wild orangutans and their nests, and accompanying the conservationist Ian Singleton on a journey to relocate a rehabilitated orangutan candidate-for-release.

'Siberian Tiger Quest' (aka 'Hunt for the Russian Tiger')

PBS 'NATURE' began its 31st season with the episode 'Siberian Tiger Quest' hosted/narrated by Morgan who traveled to Siberia for filming. The episode aired October 10, 2012. In the episode, Morgan met with Korean filmmaker Sooyong Park in Siberia to recount Park's efforts at filming Siberian tigers in the wild while embedded for five years and also to attempt to capture a tiger on film again. The episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Nature Programming", and also received awards for "Best Presenter/Host", "Best Cinematography", "Best Human/Wildlife Interaction", "Gold Award", and "Outstanding Contribution to Wildlife Filmmaking Award."

'Bears of the Last Frontier' (aka 'Bear Nomad')

For two years, Morgan and filmmaker Joe Pontecorvo worked on a three-hour, three-part mini-series filmed and produced for PBS 'NATURE' and National Geographic Television International called 'Bears of the Last Frontier' which highlights the three bear species in the state of Alaska. Co-created by Morgan and Pontecorvo, the show was hosted and narrated by Morgan as the feature character with Pontecorvo acting as producer, director, and cinematographer. The mini-series aired in May 2011. During promotion for 'Bears of the Last Frontier' (May 10, 2011), Morgan was a guest on the 'Late Show with David Letterman.' Morgan also wrote a book named for the mini-series featuring large print photos and behind-the-scenes stories of 'Bears of the Last Frontier' released in 2011. For his work on the episode 'Bears of the Last Frontier: Arctic Wanderers,' Morgan was awarded "Best Presenter/Host" at the 2012 International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF). Joe Pontecorvo, also, earned a 2012 Emmy Award Nomination ('Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Cinematography - Documentary and Long Form') for the same episode.

PBS 'NATURE' narration

Morgan's other television work for PBS 'NATURE' includes narration on the episodes: 'Love in the Animal Kingdom' (2013), 'Great Zebra Exodus' (2013), 'Magic of the Snowy Owl' (2012), 'Fortress of the Bears' (2012), 'Kangaroo Mob' (2012), 'The Animal House' (2011), 'Survivors of the Firestorm' (2011), 'Outback Pelicans' (2011), 'The Himalayas' (2011), 'Elsa's Legacy: The Born Free Story' (2011), and 'Echo: An Elephant to Remember' (2010).

'Great Bear Stakeout'

The BBC/Discovery Channel production 'Great Bear Stakeout' aired in two parts on BBC One April 24 and 25, 2013 with Morgan as an ecologist and bear expert. 'Great Bear Stakeout' documents the awakening of Alaskan grizzly bears from hibernation through their feeding on the salmon run utilizing specialized camera gear and hidden camera techniques. The program received positive reviews by viewers. The show aired in one part on the Discovery Channel May 12, 2013.

'Land of the Lost Wolves'

'Land of the Lost Wolves' premiered on BBC One in two episodes on April 5 &6, 2012. Morgan is featured as an onscreen scientist in episode two, tracking wolves on the BC coast of Canada.

'Grizzlies of Alaska'

Morgan was host, narrator, and featured character in an episode of the BBC Two series 'Natural World' titled 'Grizzlies of Alaska' which he co-created with 'BEARTREK' director/producer and cinematographer Joe Pontecorvo. The episode originally aired on March 8, 2012.

Awards

(Year: Name of Award)
2013: Best Presenter/Host for 'Siberian Tiger Quest' (IWFF)
2012: Best Presenter/Host for 'Bears of the Last Frontier: Arctic Wanderers (International Wildlife Film Festival)
2008: Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee Award for Contributions to Grizzly Bear Conservation
2003: 'Outstanding Environmental Educator of the Year' (Environmental Education Association of Washington)

Books/Publications

Bears of the Last Frontier (2011)
Insight Wildlife Management. “Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2010. Cougar Outreach and Education in Washington State.” Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington, USA. 2010.
Promoting understanding: The approach of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (2004)
Morgan, Chris. “The Andean Bear Research and Environmental Education Project, Ecuador.” Insight Wildlife Management, Inc., Bellingham, Washington, USA. 1999.
The ecology and behavior of female red squirrels (Sciurus vulgarism) during the breeding season in a conifer plantation (1994)
Morgan, Chris. “An Investigation into the Status and Conservation of the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) in the Cordillera Cantabrica, Spain.” Farnborough College of Technology, Hampshire, United Kingdom, the Cordillera Cantabrica, Spain.” Farnborough College of Technology, Hampshire, United Kingdom, March 1991.