There are as many as 270 million turkeys raised in the U.S. each year. In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, one of those lucky turkeys is selected to receive a Presidential pardon and spared from becoming the centerpiece of a White House dinner. The chance of a turkey being pardoned by the President is a longshot on par with the chance of any of us winning the Powerball jackpot.
Here are few more turkey fun facts: Domesticated turkeys cannot fly, but wild turkeys can, at least for short distances. When astronauts Neil Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin ate their first meal on the moon, it was roasted turkey. And though often cited as fact, Benjamin Franklin did not actually propose the turkey as the national bird over the bald eagle.