The peacock, India`s national bird, is protected under the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972. They are hunted for feathers, fat and meat. Although the transport, transfer and trade of peacocktail feathers is excluded, incidents of high mortality in some areas indicate poaching. Therefore, the project aims to raise awareness among the local population through street theatre/seminar/IEC. The project also aims to advise poachers on alternative livelihoods guaranteed by banks. However, there is also a worldwide superstition that it is unfortunate to hold peacocks and their feathers because the eye of the feather is associated with the evil eye of wickedness. In addition, some Indians do not use bird feathers because they consider them unhappy. True, their use certainly leads to bad luck for poor birds whose plumage was used. The feathers of a single peacock weigh a total of about 300 grams, so when 29.8 kg of feathers worth Rs 2.60 lakh in India (but allegedly Rs 7.3 lakh abroad) were seized from a passenger travelling from customs from Kochi to Singapore in September 2014, one wonders if they were thrown or plucked by about 100 killed peacocks. This makes it clear that there is no guarantee that the peacock feather picchi used by Jain monks are naturally discarded feathers as supposed. Mercury-based pesticides sprayed on seeds and plants (especially from tomato growers) consumed by peacocks led to its death. First described as “mysterious” and later described as “accidental”, one wonders how many are actually killed. The discovery of dozens of dead peacocks in different parts of India is becoming a common occurrence, followed by government investigations into the deaths.
For example, a farmer who sprayed pesticides on his cotton crop near the Pakidi Game Reserve forest in Odisha`s Ganjam district is believed to be responsible for the death of peacocks (they had consumed cotton flowers from his field) in October 2011. Peacocks that live in this habitat are also threatened by stone sprinklers and pollution. Peacocks are hardy creatures that can withstand extreme temperatures, from the scorching heat of India to the falling temperatures of the American Northwest. However, be sure to protect your peacock from the cold, especially if it was bred in a tropical climate. Under no circumstances should your home be the home of another living organism such as snakes, lizards, etc. These are not only toxic, but can also leave your home unhygienic. To keep them away from your living room, place 2-3 peacock feathers on the door of your house. If you plan to keep a peacock, you should also be aware of the realities of this species with regard to its territorial behavior and instincts. In Eastern Europe, peacock feathers are traditionally a symbol of doom, as they were once worn by Mongol invaders in the 13th century. In contrast, peacocks were royal symbols for the kings of India. Forest officials rescued a male peacock from the Adinath Society on Satara Road on Saturday. Although healthy, it was found that the national bird was kept as a “pet” by residents of the housing association in a large enclosure.
The peacock is the national bird of India and is also a Schedule I species of the Wildlife Protection Act and it is illegal to keep it as a pet. “We learned about the peacock from a citizen on Friday and sent our team to the rescue operation on Saturday. The peacock has been transferred to the Katraj rescue center for the time being. After a few days, he was released into a forest. If we look at the health of the peacock and where it seems to have been kept last month, we can say that it was well cared for,” said V J Gaikwad, Forest Officer (RFO), Maharashtra Forest Department. In July 2012, three people were arrested in Gurdahi village, Sikandara region, Kanpur Dehat district, Uttar Pradesh, for killing a peacock. They admitted that their gang had been selling peacock feathers for several years. At first, they collected scales, but when there was a seasonal break in molting, they caught and killed birds to meet the demand for peacock feathers. They also sold peacock fat to treat arthritis. Around the same time, six peacocks reportedly died in Bhuganiyapur village, Dehat district.
On the same day, two poachers were arrested by Etawah police in Usrahar for killing 4 peacocks. They also said they killed peacocks to meet the need for feathers. (Plucked carcasses obviously provide additional income.) On the plus side, peacocks allow physical contact with their human relatives, but often this is more due to the fact that they are tame than to the exchange of affection. On the other hand, they don`t give you the same camaraderie and interaction as dogs and cats. Just to give you an idea – a peacock cannot be trained at home and will move to your neighbor`s farm if the food there is better. Due to their wide biogeographic distribution, they are usually killed outside protected areas. As a result, the number of reports and convictions is quite low, which encourages illegal trafficking. As demand for peacock feathers increases, naturally discarded long-tailed feathers simply aren`t enough, and peacocks are increasingly being killed — a single peacock typically throws or peels 150 to 200 feathers per year.
People are unlikely to catch wild peacocks, pull out their feathers and let them go. In addition, the young, which do not throw for months until the next breeding season. Peacock owners love their birds. But there are restrictions on what a peacock can give you in return. That being said, it is very rewarding to cater to the natural instincts and needs of peacocks. When these are filled, the birds bloom and there is nothing more satisfying than watching a healthy flock rummaging through the garden. He claims to have informed Sanjay Kadu, then RFO, of the case. However, forestry officials told him that since they had no place to hold the bird, they could not save it, Oswal said.
“According to my information, the company found this bird like a peach eight years ago. At that time, club members didn`t even know it was a peacock. Later, they built an enclosure for the bird. So far, it has been well maintained by the company. In recent months, when the peacock often fell ill, I asked the club members to inform the forest officials, and they did,” Oswal said. Another problem is that peacocks can become aggressive, especially during the mating season. They are very territorial and can attack. While a healthy adult should be able to avoid them easily, young children can be seriously injured.
Peas are very protective of theirs and attack if they think someone is trying to invade their nest. While many people keep peacocks as pets, they are not tame animals. You can attack and probably won`t enjoy any interaction. These are just some of the issues that deal with keeping wild animals as pets, which we explain in more detail in the following video: Bankapura Peacock Conservation Reserve near Dharwad and Mayura Sanctuary in Adichunchanagiri, both in Karnataka, must remain on constant alert to protect peacock eggs from theft by poachers.