32 peacocks reported dead in Tumakuru in one week

Tumakuru: As many as 32 peacocks have died across Tumakuru taluk in the past week under mysterious circumstances, although officials of the Forest Department suspect that the soaring mercury levels in the district could be the
cause.

Samples collected from the bodies of the peacocks have been dispatched to the laboratory for testing, and the cause of the peacocks’ death can be conclusively explained only once the results of the tests arrive, said Forest Department officials.

“A team headed by an Assistant Conservator of Forests has been constituted to probe the death of the peacocks,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests B R Shashidhar.

Forest Department officials pointed out that the peacocks had not all died in a single village – the incidents had been reported in various villages across the taluk. They further added that they had not found any suspicious substances on the bodies of the
peacocks.

The death of peacocks has been reported in Bommannahalli and Kolihalli in Urdigere hobli, and Byrasandra, Hullenahalli in Guloor hobli. While 11 peacocks died on April 11, as many died again on April 20, and 10 more died the next day.