BEWARE: An ‘aggressive’ wild turkey is attacking people on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail in DC

WASHINGTON — Residents within the Southeast neighborhood of Washington D.C. are being warned after a turkey was seen disrupting bike riders and hikers on a close-by path. 

Late final week, the Division of Power and Atmosphere (DOEE), Nationwide Park Service (NPS), Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA), and Maryland Division of Nationwide Sources (DNR) had been first alerted to an aggressive turkey attacking residents on the Anacostia Riverwalk Path. Wildlife officers advised WUSA9 they’d acquired a number of reviews of turkeys attacking individuals within the district.

In keeping with DOEE, it is turkey breeding season, and the rise in assaults is said to territorial habits. 

One of many newest encounters was caught on video by native Go-Go musician DeDe Folarin of Uncommon Essence, who was using his bike on the path on April 12.

“Abruptly, I used to be coming across the bend and this massive wild turkey simply jumps up and virtually claws me within the face,” Folarin mentioned.

Folarin mentioned he dismounted his bike whereas the turkey continued to harass him for almost 5 minutes. The big chook then turned its consideration to a different passing bicycle owner as Folarian was taking video of the encounter.

“After the girl requested if I may assist, I picked up a stick and I sort of whacked the turkey and he sort of ran again into the comb and that was it,” Folarin mentioned.

WATCH: Folarin captured an encounter with a wild turkey on the Anacostia Riverwalk Path. 

The brand new warning comes after an individual reported being attacked by a turkey on the identical path again in December. Allie Erenbaum was writing in response to a reader electronic mail posted on the native weblog Popville in February, the place the poster mentioned they had been attacked and wound up at “pressing care with puncture wounds on my legs.” 

Erenbaum shared her personal story with WUSA9. Erenbaum mentioned she had paused to benefit from the wild turkey in its pure setting, and took a photograph. However then the turkey superior. 

“It actually began coming in direction of me so I made a bunch of actually loud noise to attempt to sort of scare it off,” Erenbaum mentioned. “I ended up simply sort of waving my arms round to only making an attempt to make myself greater… so it undoubtedly was sort of chasing me a bit, after which once I began to run away, it adopted me down the trail.”

Erenbaum mentioned she was uncertain whether or not she ought to maintain her floor or run away, however she fortunately was in a position to get away unhurt. 

Canine walkers Chris and Sara Jamison mentioned their sightings of city turkeys on the path have been peaceable.

“It is wild land — turkeys must be right here too,” Sara Jamison mentioned.

Animal management says it’s regular to see turkeys in D.C. and based on DOEE, there listed below are at the very least 100 turkeys at the moment dwelling in D.C. They’ll develop to round 40 kilos. Officers warn residents to not feed or work together with turkeys. 

Anybody who comes throughout an aggressive turkey is requested to provide them house and name the Humane Rescue Alliance at (703) 433-9576.

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