Moving Day

Years ago, there used to be a good sized flock of wild turkeys in the Eastern Woodland exhibit here at the Zoo.  They died off one at a time, and for the last year and half, we have just had our one tom in there.  Surely, you have met him- most folks enjoyed watching him mimic their movements at the viewing area, and children enjoyed getting him to gobble at loud noises.
Well we felt kinda bad for our lonesome boy, so we got him some friends.  We have been quarantining 2.3 turkeys in our holding enclosures for the last few weeks.  (The numbers and a decimal is a way of notating sexes.  Everything to the left of the decimal is a male, everything to the right is a female.  If there is a second decimal, everything to the right of that decimal is unsexed.  i.e.- 2.3.7 means two males, three females, and 7 unsexed or juveniles)  Finally, on January 3, 2011, it was time to introduce them to the big pen.
Here are a few pictures from the event. 

Each of the turkeys recieved a unique temporary leg 'band' so that we can tell them apart, until we get a more fomal band put on them at their next vet exam.  Hens have a color code on their left legs, toms have a color code on their right legs.

How many Zoo Staff does it take to get a backwards turkey out of his traveling crate?  L-R, Intern Marla, Lynsey, Tripp and Stuart.

 This particular tom forgot to drink his V-8 this morning.

Once released, the resident male did just what we expected and took up defending 'his' territory.  He really is a magnificent looking bird, but he is also deceptively quick and powerful.

 He squared off with one of the new toms, and they exchanged low gobbles and then some kicks.  A pecking order was established, and the resident male still reigns supreme as the Big Boss.

Keanu Reeves will have some competition for the newest Matrix movie.....

 The turkeys will probably be somewhat shy for the next few weeks, and hang out down toward the back of the enclosure.  But as time goes by, and they gain a little more confidence and understanding of their habitat, they will move up the slope and be a litte more visible.


Posted by Berkeley