Cal Poly turkey attacks

May 12, 2012

A Cal Poly employee was knocked unconscious when he tripped and hit his head while backing away from an aggressive female turkey who was protecting her young. [KCOY]

When the turkey, who was nesting with her eight poults, saw the employee she became territorial.

SLO County Animal Services Administrator Eric Anderson told KCOY when turkeys, “feel threatened, there’s something they need to protect they may be a little bit more aggressive and may actually standoff or charge at people in those situations.”

Even so, this is not the first incident of a turkey charging at a human walking, jogging, or biking on the Cal Poly campus. A few weeks ago a male turkey charged a jogger leaving her with scratches on her arms and legs. Some students are now eluding the large birds by avoiding areas they are known to congregate in.


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Even turkeys know who the turkeys are or will be someday.