California's Wild Turkeys Bouncing Back
Reintroduction and habitat restoration projects are helping the birds build up their populations throughout the state.
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Once abundant, wild turkey populations in California plummeted as a result of overhunting, urban development, drought (and even falling into the La Brea Tar Pits). But recent conservation efforts, like species reintroduction and habitat restoration, have helped the turkeys make a comeback. Though they’re still rare around Los Angeles, wild turkeys can be found around Newhall, northeastern San Diego County, and parts of the Angeles and Cleveland National Forests.
