Peacock population falls in north AP districts

Visakhapatnam:  North coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh are witnessing a drastic fall in peacock population.  According to the information from the tribals and people in other rural areas close to the Agency areas, the population of the Indian National Bird, peacock, has come down drastically. Peacocks are vanishing from Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari Agency areas. Population of the bird has come down due to various reasons during the last  two decades.

Peacock is the National Bird and is listed in the schedule-one and the forest department is expected to take measures to protect the bird as per the Wild Life Act. However, the extensive Maoist movements and armed forces’ combing operations, deforestation, poaching and expansion of villages are leading to decline in peacock population. Peacocks are not visible in recent times in their habitations as they were seen earlier.  

Though there are several restrictions, good number of poachers catching the birds and selling their meat at a high price. “Not only peacocks, several wild animals are being vanished; springs and other water bodies are dried up. Maoists operations, extensive movements of Armed forces and agriculture practices are badly affecting serenity of Agency area.

Earlier, we used to see large number of peacocks in the Agency area and presently the birds are seen very rarely,”  said Killo Ramu of Chintapalle mandal in the district.  If, bauxite mining starts, there will not be a single wild animal in the entire forest area, Ramu said.

There is no census of the national bird with the Forest department. The department has not yet conducted any study about the threat to the peacocks in the north coastal districts.  In fact, the bird population is coming down in the entire country. 

When asked about vanishing of peacocks in the Agency area and surrounding villages, District Forest Officer (DFO) C Selvam said that there is no poaching activity in the Agency. “In fact we don’t have any census on peacocks. There is a need to conduct a study on the issue,’’ he said.