‘The turkeys are taking over’: Wild turkey infestation terrorises US community ahead of Thanksgiving

Patrick Grafton-Green9 November 2019

An over-55 community in the US is living in fear as a gaggle of wild turkeys terrorises residents.

Forty to 60 wild turkeys have been behaving aggressively towards residents on a daily basis in the seniors community in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Residents say the turkeys are blocking doorways, pecking at cars and behaving aggressively when they are shooed away.

One resident told News 12: “The turkeys are taking over. It's like an infestation.”

Wreaking havoc: The wild turkeys have been compared to 'scary dogs' by residents
News 12

Cindy Lijoi, who compared the birds to “scary dogs”, added: “I can't get out of my door. Sometimes I can't get out of my car. They go to attack you.”

“You shoo them away they won’t do anything," said another woman. “They just look at you to say ‘yeah’ like they don't care.”

Ms Lijoi added: “People think that it is a laughing matter but it is a serious matter."

The township has received dozens of complaints but says its animal control is powerless.

Ocean County has been one of the state's fastest-growing counties for almost 30 years.

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