Peahen rescued from upper anaicut in Trichy

TRICHY: Forest officials and animal activists rescued a three-year-old peahen that was trapped on one of the barrages of the Mukkombu (Upper Anaicut) here on Thursday evening. It could not escape as the water level in the Cauvery river rose.
People who found the bird trapped on the 38th barrage of the Upper Anaicut informed forest officials. The peahen was rescued with the help of city-based animal activist G Ramakrishnan of Faith Trust and local fishermen.

“Perhaps, the peahen had been trapped on the barrage for over three days,” said a forest officer.

“The bird could have come to the 38th barrage before water released from the Mettur dam reached here,” said district forest officer D Sujatha.

“The rescue operation was challenging as there was the risk of the bird falling into the water,” said Ramakrishnan.

“By spreading a fishing net from above the barrage, the possibility of the bird falling into the water was ruled out. The peahen was brought to the river bank with the help of local fishermen who went to the barrage area on a boat,” he said.

The bird was being treated in the Palakkarai veterinary hospital for an eye infection.