The rampant killing of national bird peacock has reduced its population to just 135 in 12 forest divisions of Bastar, official sources informed. The poachers who earlier used to poison the bird are now using mint in cooked rice to catch the bird in order to avoid legal action.
The poachers have killed more than 1,000 peacocks during the past four years by the new technique reducing the population of peacocks to alarming number, sources said. The poachers use the similar technique for other birds also. They have adopted the new technique because they used to face legal action when they used poison for killing peacocks protected under schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Conservator of Forest, V Ramarao said that the number of peacocks was very good in the forests of Bastar. But the increased poaching of the bird for meat and feather has reduced its number. The Wildlife Census done after four years states that only 135 peacocks are left in 12 forest divisions of Bastar.
The local villagers are coming forward to help the forest officials to check killing of peacocks. Apart from taking steps to check poaching, the villagers are also helping in increasing the number of national birds. Although it is against law, the villagers keep the eggs of peacock with the eggs of hen for hatching. The chicks are taken care as they grow up with chicken.
For increased killing of peacock, the villagers said that peacock’s meat is popular and thus its demand is very high. Besides this the skin of the neck of peacock is used in preparation of ‘Gaursingh Mukut’. The peacock feathers are also used on large scale in decoration of idols of deities. Being a lucrative business, many people are involved