John Morton Boyd

Who was John Morton Boyd?

Dr John Morton Boyd CBE was a Scottish zoologist, writer and conservationist. He was a pioneer of nature conservation in Scotland.

Boyd was born, and grew up, in Darvel, Ayrshire. He attended the University of Glasgow where he began a course in engineering before switching to zoology. As an undergraduate he studied sand dune snails on the island of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides, subsequently undertaking a doctoral study on the earthworms of the machair and further ecological research.

Boyd was influenced by the writings of Seton Gordon and Frank Fraser Darling. He visited St Kilda and recognised the potential for research into its endemic fauna, including the Soay Sheep, the St Kilda Wren and the St Kilda Fieldmouse. He was also involved in research on the Grey Seal on North Rona.

In 1971 Boyd became the Scottish Director of the Nature Conservancy. He retired from the Conservancy in 1985, but continued to be active in conservation until his death.

His son is Ian Boyd.