A wild turkey with an attitude has been roaming the streets of West Orange, New Jersey, for months, stopping traffic and showing no fear—but he was finally caged Wednesday, according to officials. He caused so much chaos in the community that the NY Times wrote a story about him in October titled, "This Turkey Just Will Not Stop Crossing the Road." 

But the feathered fiend, named Turkules (rhymes with Hercules), also brought the community together:

Turkules had become a local mascot after taking a tranquilizer dart to the chest - but continuing to strut around defiantly - and showing no fear when walking across busy intersections.

'He is a gangster. He will make his way back. He always does.' Susan, a West Orange resident said to The Guardian.

'It's very sad. He has given the community near and far a reason to come together to hear of his adventures and determination.'

He became so popular that some local entrepreneurs started selling Turkules merchandise. He even has his own Facebook page. In his bio, he writes: "Bird of mythical proportions. I escaped a bioengineering facility to reclaim my ancestral land. Lives in West Orange, New Jersey. Pronounces name TUR KYOO-LEEZ."

Turkules posted about his situation on Township of West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney's FB page and, not surprisingly, maintained his cocky attitude:

Like many great leaders in history that became too powerful, I’ve been forced to live in exile but fear not… the ideas and values put forth and embraced by this great town will live on for future generations.

Many residents were sad that the feathery fugitive had been captured, but there’s good news: the cocky bird has been granted a pardon and will not be served up on a platter on Thanksgiving. 

Mayor McCartney issued a statement on social media; here's part of it: 

The US Department of Agriculture which is under contract with the NJ DEP Division of Fish Game and Wildlife had been pursuing Turkules for some time now and had lodged a tranquillizer dart in the breast area which had no effect on Turkules who continued to wear the dart defiantly. Turkules had also wandered into traffic on Pleasant Valley Way, been struck by a passing car but had survived that unscathed too. Had it not been for the number of complaints the township had received with regard to Turkules’ aggressive behavior concerning pedestrians, joggers, bicyclists and motorists, township officials would have been content to allow Turkules to remain as long as he wanted. Rather than euthanize Turkules, the township’s elected officials insisted Turkules be brought to justice alive. Once captured, an official pardon was issued by Mayor McCartney and Turkules was relocated to an undisclosed location here in the Garden State. Rumor has it that Turkules is living comfortably now in Cranbury NJ but as of this writing we were unable to confirm. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the Township of West Orange.

I personally am glad to hear that Turkules is alive and well and (possibly) raising hell in Cranbury, N.J. My guess is that he will eventually escape and start strutting down Main Street, stopping traffic and wreaking havoc. 

What a turkey.