Wild turkeys are roving Mount Auburn Cemetery. Do not let them intimidate you.
’’If you feel harassed by a turkey...’’
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If you visit Mount Auburn Cemetery to see the beautiful fall foliage or learn about the history of the first rural cemetery in the United States, you might run into an unexpected kind of terror: turkeys.
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Wild turkeys have been taking up residence at the cemetery, and a tacked-up sign, posted by a Reddit user Sunday, teaches visitors how to deal.
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Bree Harvey, vice president of cemetery and visitor services, confirmed that the sign is accurate and has been appearing on the grounds since the state environmental police had to be called in to handle a particularly aggressive turkey in 2012. Visitors of Mount Auburn—more than 200,000 each year, according to the cemetery’s site—are warned to keep their distance from the birds, who can display “aggressive behavior.’’
Since 2012, there have been no other major incidents, according to Harvey, but this year there are more turkeys on the grounds than before.
“Our visitors are a bit more well informed about how to handle themselves when around the turkeys,’’ she said.
If your leisure time at the cemetery is interrupted by a turkey, Mount Auburn officials encourage you to call security.
“Do not let them intimidate you,’’ the sign reads.
It continues: “If you feel harassed by a turkey, scare it away with loud noises, or whack it with a bag or an umbrella. Make sure that they know you are the dominant one: walk towards it and do not turn your back.’’
The sign’s advice comes from the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game, as well as from other outdoor locations that are used by humans but inhabited by wildlife, Harvey said.
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Everything from spotted salamanders to coyotes live within the cemetery’s 175 acres, and Mount Auburn officials aim to protect the animals’ homes.
“We’re trying to keep the turkeys that are here as wild as possible, and we don’t want them to be imprinted by having too many interactions with humans,’’ Harvey said. “There are lots of species of wildlife here, and [visitors should] treat them all with the same amount of caution and distance, since they are wild animals.’’
Moral of the story: Take your Instagram pictures from afar.
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