What's up with the turkeys? Seriously!
Last week, exactly one year after video footage went viral of a wild turkey chasing a man in Brampton, new photos were released of a feisty gobble-monster doing the exact same thing to a Mississauga postal worker.
Local resident Don Cumming captured the scene in Mississauga's Lorne Park neighbourhood on March 6, and it wasn't the first time someone had seen the big bird going after mail carriers.
"Wild turkey vs. postal worker," Cumming captioned the photo when publishing it via Twitter. The self-described bird nerd says the postal worker told him with a smile that he gets chased by the same turkey (who, as it turns out, has its own Facebook page) every day.
Agressive turkeys have been known to chase humans in suburban Toronto. Photo by Don Cumming.
"Didn't have a chance to get his name," wrote Cumming of the Canada Post worker, "as he sprinted away with the bird in hot pursuit."
The City of Mississauga doesn't take such acts of avian agression lightly.
"There have been reported sightings of wild turkeys in Mississauga," wrote the city's official Twitter account in response to the situation. "Birds may find their way into residential areas looking for food. These birds are good flyers and will find their way back to their natural area."
Residents should NOT fed the birds as it may put the bird or themselves in danger. We have reported this to Animal Services and they are aware and monitoring the situation.
— City of Mississauga (@citymississauga) March 7, 2019
Sadly, just days after his 15 minutes of internet fame, the turkey appears to have met his end.
"Sad to report that the Lorne Park wild turkey has chased a postal worker for the last time," wrote Cumming on Monday. "His body was spotted early this afternoon just south of Lakeshore Rd."
City Councillor Karen Ras confirmed that same day that the turkey who is believed to have been chasing to postal worker was hit by an unknown vehicle and died.
RIP Lakeshore Tom, the wild turkey that amused locals and drivers in the Lakeshore/SilverBirch neighbourhood. At approx noon today, Tom was struck by a vehicle (not this bus, btw). He died instantly. @MissiNewsRoom @peeldailynews #Mississauga pic.twitter.com/4vBN6xuAhO
— Cathleen MacDonald (@motionpix) March 11, 2019
"Sadly, our resident wild turkey Clarke passed away today after being hit by a car on Lakeshore," wrote Ras.
"Despite attempts to relocate him, he returned to the area where he was frequently fed," she continued. "As much as we try to live in harmony with nature, when we interfere and feed them food, there is no incentive for them to leave and becomes dangerous for the animals, drivers and yes, even our postal workers who were often chased."
It is not 100 per cent clear if this is the same Mississauga turkey who made headlines back in October for entering a bus stop, but members of the community are crushed nonetheless.
Whatever the bird may have done in the past, he now rests in the arms of an angel.
We can only hope that anyone who drives near Christie Pits can learn from this and slow down in the presence of big wild birds.
by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO
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