GURUGRAM: Five
peacocks were found dead while about 15 more were recovered unconscious in different parts of the city over the past few weeks, prompting the district forest department to swing into action on Wednesday.
A preliminary probe revealed the peacocks fell off trees after they lost their balance as their legs got twisted apparently due to ‘some unknown disease or infection’. While three of them had succumbed to their injuries in
Negpur, two other birds died at
Hathin village. Officials said others couldn’t fly and were attacked by stray dogs and monkeys, receiving injuries.
“We saw many peacocks falling from trees and becoming unconscious all of a sudden. Their legs were twisted. It seemed they couldn’t stand properly and thus fell. We tried to provide first-aid to the birds wherever possible,” said Jitender Bhadana, a resident of Negpur and member of NGO Save Aravalis.
Villages of Hathin claimed over two dozen peacocks died in their village over the past one week. “Initially, people didn’t take this seriously. However, after we saw more dead birds, we informed the authorities,” said Kailash, a villager.
On Wednesday, forest officials took the unconscious and injured peacocks to veterinary hospital and sent the five carcasses for autopsy. Also, blood samples of the sick peacocks have been sent to an authorised laboratory in Hisar, but the authorities are still clueless about the reason behind the death or the illness.
A veterinarian in Negpur, who is treating the affected peacocks, said, “We can’t tell the exact cause unless we get the test reports. Prima facie poisoning due to consumption of industrial waste water or water contaminated due to insecticides used in agricultural fields appears to be the reason. We will soon know the exact cause.”
Villages of Hathin claimed over two dozen peacocks died in their village over the past one week.