Gus Ben David was nothing short of an Island legend. A beloved naturalist, educator, and wildlife advocate, his work profoundly shaped environmental understanding on Martha’s Vineyard. As the first director of Felix Neck Wildlife, he transformed the sanctuary into a cornerstone of Island conservation and education, inspiring generations to respect and protect the natural world. He passed away last July, at the age of 81.
This past Saturday, some 100 people gathered in Oak Bluffs to unveil a statue of an osprey dedicated to Ben David and honoring his lifelong work to restore the Island’s osprey population. Sculptor Barney Zeitz created the statue which will stand at Sunset Lake.
Ben David is widely credited with having one of the largest local impacts in helping restore the osprey population on the Island. He built osprey nests that helped restore the species, founded wildlife centers that brought people face-to-face with animals, and mentored countless children and adults. Since he began his work in the 70s, the number of nesting ospreys on the Island has increased from a single pair to 140.
His ashes were placed in the osprey nest at his house in Edgartown, which raised two young this summer. Ben David was also self taught, and his humble beginnings are credited for his success in bridging science and community.
“Punctuality was one of Gus’ favorite things,” Anne Whiting, president of the Gus Ben David Foundation, told the crowd on Saturday as the sun came out from behind the clouds.
Whiting explained that Ben David had been part of the wildlife community on the Island for 70 years, which is impressive considering he died at 81. When he was just 10 years old he had an animal farm down the road with chickens, ducks, and a baby lamb. “Gus is an Oak Bluffs kid,” said Whiting. “We needed a place for him to be where other people could say ‘hi’ to him and Oak Bluffs is where he needed to be.”
Whiting added that they plan to get the area surrounding the statue landscaped in the spring. Ideally they will build a walkway and add a couple benches on either side, offering a place for people to visit Ben David and admire the natural wildlife surrounding the area, including swans, geese, turkeys, and, of course, osprey.
Zeitz also addressed the crowd, sharing that he wished Ben David would have been able to see the statue in person before he passed. Zeitz also shared that when he first came to the area to see how the statue would do there, there were about 4 or 5 ospreys circling the spot where it now stands.
The accompanying plaque features a portrait of Ben David with his golden eagle, Chameli, his educational bird that he had been raising since she was 4 months old. Also carved into the plaque is his favorite quote: “The most important thing you can do in life is make someone feel good about themselves. And there is one universal religion. It is called kindness.”
Zeitz crafted the plaque based on a photo capturing Ben David looking up at Chameli, who was resting on his arm and taken by Island photographer Tim Johnson, who was also present at the ceremony.
Ben David’s daughter Phaedra thanked the crowd for coming out.
“This is more than he ever would have asked for but less than he ever deserved,” said Phaedra. “Because of this he will live on eternally, his impact will never be forgotten.”
So proud to have this in Lakeside Park . We all have our Gus stories with a found sick or injured animal ( in our case even a chicken) thank you Tim, Barney, and especially Anne.
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