Month: January 2020

You may recall that the Environmental Committee used to publish a wildlife map showing where bobcats and other wildlife were spotted throughout Seabrook Island, but it has fallen into disuse. It was driven by reports submitted by Seabrookers when they saw some unusual wildlife, for example, otters or roseate spoonbills, or wildlife doing unusual things.

The annual survey confirmed that Seabrookers are avidly interested in wildlife and, as a result, the Environmental Committee is launching a new interactive Wildlife Sighting Report Form and Map. This new site is more ‘high tech’ requiring very little hands-on intervention for mapping our wildlife sightings and it’s fun. This is what it looks like:

With this new site you can click here to go to a page where you can choose to report a sighting or to view the map which contains all the data from the reports. When you submit a report of a wildlife sighting, it will populate the map with an icon of the animal you’re reporting. You will be asked to move the animal icon to the spot where the animal was seen on Seabrook Island. You are also asked to comment on your observations, reporting the unusual activity or the overall health and size of the animal, adult or juvenile. If reporting a bird such as the roseate spoonbill, please include the species of bird in the narrative description.

The real-time Wildlife Sightings Map displays all the animal sightings that have been reported. The map has both a map and satellite views of Seabrook Island. ‘Clicking’ on the animal icon will bring up the narrative comments by the submitter. As reports come in on wildlife sightings, more functionality may be added to this site.

We hope you will enjoy seeing your wildlife sightings and learning of those of your neighbors on our new interactive Wildlife Sighting Report Form and Map.  Our thanks go to Philip Miller for his work on creating this new website.

-Submitted by the SIPOA Environmental Committee

One of the joys of living here on Seabrook Island is the opportunity to observe and appreciate a wide array of fish and wildlife species. But one of the unintended consequences of this endeavor is that some of our wildlife species lose their natural fear of people.

As with all wildlife, providing food in residential areas like Seabrook can attract wild turkeys and they can become a public safety threat to you and your neighbors. Never feed wildlife, because it encourages them to lose their natural fear of people. Once that natural fear is removed, wildlife, including wild turkeys, can act aggressively. And once that aggressive behavior is established, it is difficult if not impossible to change.

So what are some of the problems? Wild turkeys have been known to respond aggressively to shiny objects, and peck at windows, auto mirrors, or their own reflections in shiny surfaces. Turkeys have pecking orders and may attempt to dominate or attack people that they view as subordinate. This behavior is typically observed in the fall when young birds begin to compete with older members of the flock. Here on Seabrook Island, this kind of behavior has been seen in the early spring as well.

If you encounter wild turkeys on the Island and it appears they have lost their fear of people, then “hazing” them can be beneficial. Chase the birds without making contact while waving your arms clapping and yelling; making loud noises using an air horn or banging pots and pans; spraying them with a strong water jet from a hose; waving or swatting with a broom or stick; opening a large umbrella while facing them, or allowing a large dog on a leash to bark and scare them can be effective hazing methods. We need to remind these birds that humans are the apex predators on the Island, and re-establish their normal fear of humans. Aggressive hazing techniques applied consistently will usually deter aggressive turkey behavior.

It is also important to document these incidents of aggressive behavior. Please notify SIPOA Security of the time and location of aggressive turkey behavior. Also note the date, time, and location on the SIPOA Wildlife reporting form found here.

Wild turkeys that are continually aggressive towards people and do not respond to aggressive hazing techniques may have to be lethally removed.  It is important for all residents and visitors to Seabrook Island that they feel safe and secure as they enjoy riding and walking along our roadways and trails.

Continue reading “Living with Wild Turkeys on Seabrook Island”