Turkeys are fascinating birds, and like all animals, they deserve to be kept off the table this (and every) Christmas.
Here are some things that you might not know about them:
- Turkeys are protective, intelligent animals with distinct personalities. Tweet this.
Jo-Anne McArthut | We Animals - About 58 thousand tonnes of turkey carcasses were produced in the UK in the run-up to Christmas in 2014 – equivalent to the weight of 308 jumbo jets. Tweet this.
- Ten years is a turkey’s natural lifespan, but on factory farms, they’re slaughtered when they’re only 5 months old. Tweet this.
- Eating turkey is definitely not good for you – more than half the calories in turkey meat come from fat. Tweet this.
- Farmed turkeys are bred to have such large breasts that they can’t mate naturally and sometimes can barely walk. Tweet this.
- The cruel practice of beak-trimming is still endemic in the UK – even among “free-range” birds. Tweet this.
- Bringing turkey meat into your home could put your family at risk of bird flu. Tweet this.
- Paul McCartney, Ellie Goulding and Bill Clinton are just some of the celebs who won’t be tucking into turkey on December 25. Tweet this.
- Every December, 4,500 people in the UK get food poisoning because of campylobacter bacteria found in turkey and chicken meat. Tweet this.
- A typical UK turkey has, on average, a living space two-thirds the size of an opened broadsheet newspaper. Tweet this.
- It takes 11 times more fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie from animal protein (like turkey) as it does to produce 1 calorie from plant protein. Tweet this.
- Wild turkeys can fly at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour and have a 360-degree field of vision. Tweet this.
- Turkeys recognise each other by their unique voices and 20 distinct vocalisations. Tweet this.
- In their natural environment, turkeys are omnivores, but on factory farms, they’re fed only corn-based grain feed laced with antibiotics. Tweet this.
Jo-Anne McArthur | We Animals - There are tons of tasty turkey-free recipes that make it easy to enjoy a delicious and cruelty-free Christmas dinner! Tweet this.
Hopefully, some of these facts will inspire you to consider a vegan menu this Christmas and take our vegan pledge. And help us spread the word – please tweet and share so that more people get the message that meat-free is the way to go!
The post 15 Tweetable Facts About Turkeys appeared first on PETA UK.