Wildlife official poses as old lady to nab menacing turkey named Gerald in California
A wild turkey terrorized a California neighborhood for months — until one of his “victims” turned against him.
Beginning in May, Gerald the wild turkey attacked several people in the neighborhood, specifically those who tried to sit or picnic in Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden, SFist reported.
The turkey’s aggression was so bad that he forced the closure of the rose garden, and he divided the neighborhood on how to handle the terror, Bay Area News Group reported.
“Initially it looked like he was going to have to be euthanized,” Anne Dunn, director of Oakland Animal Services, told ABC 7.
Animal lovers and those who loved Gerald pushed back against killing the turkey. So officials came up with a creative solution to capture Gerald.
They knew he had “a specific hatred of older women,” SFist reported.
A 76-year-old was victim to Gerald’s bad behavior when he reportedly attacked “with his talons and his wings.” Another woman said the turkey “stalked” her as she tried to picnic, according to SFist.
Rebecca Dmytryk, the director of Wildlife Emergency Service, used Gerald’s attack history to her advantage.
“I pretended to be a frail old lady,” Dmytryk told Bay Area News Group.
She went all out and posed as a “frail, old woman” to lure the turkey, ABC 7 reported. She used blueberries, kibble and sunflower seeds to bait the turkey and pretended she was scared of Gerald, ABC 7 reported.
Gerald continued to get closer and closer until he charged to attack Dmytryk like his other victims. That’s when Dmytryk grabbed his neck and captured the turkey, according to Bay Area News Group.
He fought back, but Dmytryk was able to keep him secure. She took Gerald to the hills where wild turkeys run free and released him, Bay Area News Group reported.
“After being at this for five months, to be on the other side and to know the turkey is now in a wild area, situated with other turkeys where he will be safe, it feels like the best possible outcome,” Dunn told ABC 7.
Dmytryk said Gerald’s story is a reminder not to feed animals in the wild, Bay Area News group reported. “He was habitualized,” Dmytryk told the news outlet, “and he didn’t need to be killed because of what humans did to him.”