Hostile Turkey Invades Man's Front Yard, Lays 18 Eggs & Refuses to Leave
A Staten Island man is dealing with a hostile turkey who thought his front lawn would make an ideal nesting area for her 18 eggs. Richard Gambardella is now sharing his home with the wild turkey, which is fiercely defending its unborn progeny.
Gambardella is a humble man. He's trying to work within the framework of the law to have the imposing bird removed from the premises, but he's encountering some confusing legal setbacks. Per a report from CBS New York, Gambardella has tried calling the authorities via 3-1-1. He's also done the noble deed of phoning the ASPCA, but to no avail. In order to remove a wild turkey and its eggs, Gambardella needs a special permit from New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, which he doesn't have.
Speaking to a reporter outside his home, the Staten Island man expressed trepidation at the sight of the big, determined mother bird.
"Look at the claws on her," he said.
Indeed.
The DEC noted in a statement that Gambardella could have the turkey removed from his lawn and transported to a special turkey sanctuary in upstate New York. The agency wrote: "The homeowner has not contacted DEC, but can reach out to DEC’s regional wildlife office for further follow up and assistance in this matter.”
Mr. Gambardella will most certainly do the right thing, unless he's comfortable hosting a turkey sanctuary of his own in Staten Island, New York.