Fruit Heights community mourns the loss of Kevin, its wild turkey mascot - KSL.com

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Residents of a Davis County community mourned the loss of a beloved turkey that they affectionately named Kevin. (kevin_on_the_loose via Instagram)

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FRUIT HEIGHTS — In April of this year, residents of a Davis County community mourned the loss of a beloved turkey that they affectionately named Kevin.

But just in time for Thanksgiving, as it seems, a new turkey — perhaps Kevin-incarnate — has begun to make an appearance along the streets and byways of the northern Utah town.

"Wait, back up. Hold on a second. Who is Kevin, and why should we care?" some of you might ask.

Well, for Fruit Heights residents, Kevin the Turkey meant something. He brought the community together during a time of uncertainty. He brought laughter, smiles and the more-than-occasional blocked traffic during the morning commute to work. According to Kristen Olsen, Kevin was very much a member of the community.

"I started noticing Kevin hanging out on Nichols Road. And the first time I saw him, I thought he was a peacock that maybe someone owned, but he was a wild turkey!" the Fruit Heights resident said. "I always thought Kevin should be called Bruce, so I referred to him as that sometimes. But everyone in Fruit Heights likes to call him Kevin."

Olsen, an avid trail runner, said that there are several wild turkeys in the foothills and she had seen some on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, but Kevin was the only one she saw hanging out in the city streets.

"I think maybe Kevin didn't like being around other turkeys and wanted to journey out on his own," Olsen speculated.

If her assumption is true, a solo life didn't really pan out for the wild turkey because nearly every time he would venture out, he would be the subject of quite a lot of attention. Perhaps that of a wanted outlaw was more of his life mission, as Kevin found himself being escorted off the streets by Utah Highway Patrol and animal control officers, none of whom was able (or willing) to put a stop to his countless street crossings.

Olsen recalled times when Kevin stopped traffic on U.S. 89, halted large delivery trucks, and would even peck at tires to get drivers to move out of his way.

Even so, Olsen said that Kevin sightings were less of a nuisance and more of something that she and community members looked forward to.

"We have a Facebook community page, and there was an entire thread dedicated to Kevin," Olsen said. "If someone hadn't seen him in a while, they would post asking if anyone had seen him lately. There was a large concern for his well-being, as we all believed that surely his demise would be to be hit by a car."

Sadly, after several months of turkey crossings and near misses by motor vehicles, Kevin did die — but the street was not what took his life. According to Olsen, the famed fowl had allegedly been roosting in a neighbor's tree and was found lying lifeless on the ground.

Some think it was the fall that killed Kevin, while others believe that perhaps another tree-inhabiting animal attacked the bird. Nonetheless, the past several months through the summer and fall have been somewhat of a mourning period for Fruit Heights residents.

"There was talk of a candlelight vigil to celebrate his life, but I'm not sure if that ever happened," Olsen said. "With Kevin gone, the streets just haven't been the same."

Recently, however, a glimmer of hope has come for residents, as another wild turkey has left his foothill flock for nearby Fruit Heights, and Olsen said it brings her joy to know that Kevin may have a successor after all.

"I'm not sure how many others have seen the new turkey, but I have seen him hanging out in the same areas Kevin did," Olsen said. "I even caught a video of him attempting to cross the street with a bus heading his way. There is no official name given to this new turkey, but maybe this one should be called Bruce. Either way, I'd like to think that he and Kevin are family, and I hope this one sticks around for a while."