At the Horstmann Vulture Conservation Trust, we’ve always believed that conservation works best when science, storytelling, and a little bit of wonder collide. Enter Puppet Bernard a larger-than-life ambassador for vultures everywhere.
Puppet Bernard is inspired by Bernard, our real Eurasian black vulture, who lives at the Horstmann Trust and has become something of a legend in his own right. At 28 years old, Bernard is not only one of the oldest vultures in our care, but also a symbol of resilience, patience, and the quiet importance of species that are too often misunderstood.
From Feathers to Felt (and a Bit of Magic)
Puppet Bernard was lovingly created by Todd from Wild Connect with designer come puppeteers Ruby and Nico, whose extraordinary skill brings animals to life in ways that are impossible to ignore. Every detail from the expressive eyes to the layered “feathers” and sweeping wings was designed to capture the presence and personality of a vulture, without softening what makes them so powerful. This is not a cartoon vulture. Puppet Bernard looks you in the eye. And once he has your attention, he doesn’t let go.
A Whirlwind Tour of the Puppet World
Since his creation, Puppet Bernard has wasted no time getting out into the world. He’s already enjoyed a whirlwind introduction to the wider puppet community, including a memorable meeting with Gonzo the Great puppeteer, Dave Goelz a fitting encounter between two champions of the weird, the wonderful, and the often-misunderstood.
For us, that moment mattered. Gonzo has always represented curiosity, bravery, and embracing what makes you different values that align perfectly with vultures and the role they play in ecosystems across the world.
Why a Puppet?
Vultures are among the most important and most threatened birds on the planet. They prevent the spread of disease, recycle nutrients, and quietly protect human health. Yet they are routinely overlooked, vilified, or ignored.
Puppet Bernard helps us change that.
At events, lectures, schools, and conferences, Puppet Bernard allows us to talk about difficult subjects extinction, poisoning, habitat loss in a way that invites people in rather than pushing them away. He bridges the gap between children and adults, emotion and evidence, laughter and learning.
He doesn’t replace the science.
He opens the door to it.
An Ambassador for Vulture Kind
Puppet Bernard will now be representing vultures at public events, conservation talks, academic lectures, and outreach programmes across the UK and beyond. Wherever he goes, he carries the story of Bernard, the Horstmann Trust, and the global vulture crisis told with honesty, warmth, and just enough theatrical flair to make people stop and listen.
Because sometimes, the best way to save a species…
is to let it speak for itself.
