Curious about what some turkeys are doing after Thanksgiving?
Drivers in the Niagara Region have reported seeing them on the road near St. Catharines, Ont. and Highway 406.
Since late October, the Humane Society of Greater Niagara (HSGN) has received numerous calls from drivers about wild turkey sightings.
While some people enjoy watching them from their cars, others feel worried about their presence, said Cindy Dunne, executive director at the HSGN.
The nimble birds can create a “public safety threat” as they wander around busy areas and highway roads, Dunne told . The concerns grew recently after one accident in the past two weeks was found to be related to turkeys on the road, she noted. One person got injured in that incident, she added.
The wild turkeys “are fast, agile, and yes, they can fly,” Dunne wrote in a joint news release with the City of St. Catharines, urging drivers to remain alert and patient when traveling through St. Catharines’ Martindale area and Highway 406.
Last week, officers from the HSGN were seen in a video attempting to chase some turkeys using nets. The purpose of the nets is to help guide and move the turkeys off the road, not to capture them, Dunne explained.
“For us, it’s ‘let’s get them out of harm’s way, get them out of putting others in harm’s way and drive them back into more forested areas’,” she said.
WATCH | Passengers taking the QEW exit witness wild turkeys making a run for it:
Wild turkeys are seen running from Niagara animal control officers on the QEW
Members of a local Facebook group are sharing their encounters with wild turkeys around St. Catharines’ Martindale area and Ontario Highway 406. This clip was filmed on Tuesday, Nov. 4, during a spike in reports about wild turkeys on the road according to Humane Society of Greater Niagara and City of St. Catharines officials. (Submitted by Devin Garrah)
This particular group of turkeys may have started with four but now seems to be down to two; they’ve been spotted in this area for about a year now according to Dunne.
Residents and drivers are encouraged to “coexist respectfully with wildlife” and should not “attempt to feed, chase or approach wild turkeys” since Ontario has strict regulations regarding relocating or harming these birds.
“Public safety is always a priority but it’s important that we handle these situations with respect for nature,” stated Marty Mako, city councillor for Martindale Road.
Travis Chorney, senior animal services officer mentioned in a news release that “turkeys are highly mobile and very difficult to capture safely” adding that they “often return to their original territory.”
The HSGN conducts “periodic patrols” in this area but reported no sightings of wild turkeys over last weekend.
The colder weather usually means fewer sightings.
With St. Catharines experiencing its first snowfall over the weekend, “the turkeys will likely retreat into forested areas for roosting so sightings should become less common though not impossible,” Dunne mentioned.
If spotted again in this area , both HSGN and city officials encourage people to call their Animal Services Dispatch line at 905-682-0767.
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Wild turkeys are seen running from Niagara animal control officers on the QEW
Members of a local Facebook group are sharing their encounters with wild turkeys around St. Catharines’ Martindale area and Ontario Highway 406. This clip was filmed on Tuesday, Nov. 4, during a spike in reports about wild turkeys on the road according to Humane Society of Greater Niagara and City of St. Catharines officials. (Submitted by Devin Garrah)
This particular group of turkeys may have started with four but now seems to be down to two; they’ve been spotted in this area for about a year now according to Dunne.
Residents and drivers are encouraged to “coexist respectfully with wildlife” and should not “attempt to feed, chase or approach wild turkeys” since Ontario has strict regulations regarding relocating or harming these birds.
“Public safety is always a priority but it’s important that we handle these situations with respect for nature,” stated Marty Mako, city councillor for Martindale Road.
Travis Chorney, senior animal services officer mentioned in a news release that “turkeys are highly mobile and very difficult to capture safely” adding that they “often return to their original territory.”
The HSGN conducts “periodic patrols” in this area but reported no sightings of wild turkeys over last weekend.
The colder weather usually means fewer sightings.
With St. Catharines experiencing its first snowfall over the weekend, “the turkeys will likely retreat into forested areas for roosting so sightings should become less common though not impossible,” Dunne mentioned.
If spotted again in this area , both HSGN and city officials encourage people to call their Animal Services Dispatch line at 905-682-0767.Source link
