Restoring Osceola Wild Turkeys in Everglades National Park
By National Wild Turkey Federation

Exactly one year to the day after the late Dr. George Dalrymple ended his battle with cancer in January 2005, his wife, Nancy O'Hare continued her husband's efforts to relocate 31 Osceola wild turkeys to the Florida Everglades.

Six years ago, Dalrymple, a wildlife biologist in Florida and a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation's Biff Lampton Memorial Homestead Chapter, led the charge to restore 29 wild turkeys in the Everglades National Park.

"Most people think of Everglades restoration as restoration of wetlands," said O'Hare. "George realized that the restoration of the uplands was just as critical, yet neglected. He had the vision to re-establish the wild turkey. In a way, his death galvanized those involved with the first release to assure that there was a second re-introduction to boost the remaining wild turkey population."

The recent project, designed to strengthen the Everglades wild turkey population, is the second successful restoration effort between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the NWTF, the U.S. Park Service and private landowners, such as the Lykes Brothers Ranch, who provided sites for turkey trapping.

"This turkey trap and transfer restoration project was very successful," said Brian Zielinski, NWTF wildlife biologist for Florida. "When a team works together, you can accomplish so much. Our NWTF Biff Lampton Memorial Homestead chapter purchased 10 radio transmitters, which will allow us to watch these birds carefully."

The U.S. Park Service will monitor the released birds' survival, distribution and reproduction through radio telemetry and biannual camera surveys.

In the early 1900s, wild turkeys existed within the Everglades before the area became a national park. Much like its four other wild turkey subspecies across North America, Osceola's declined within the Everglades National Park due to loss of habitat and over hunting associated with private farming operations within the Everglades National Park boundaries.

"The release of these turkeys into the Everglades National Park is a supplemental stocking designed to augment our previous turkey stocking effort six years ago," said Larry Perrin, wildlife biologist for the Florida FWC. "The initial turkeys were able to reproduce and persist, but their population has remained low. It is our hope that this year's stocking will give a boost to these remaining turkeys and help establish a viable turkey population that will increase and expand throughout the upland area of the Everglades National Park."

For more information about the restoration efforts in the Everglades National Park or about the NWTF, call 1-800-THE-NWTF.