Rajasthan not safe for peacocks, says animal rights group

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Copyright 2007 HT Media Ltd.

 

Indo-Asian News Service

April 2, 2007 Monday 2:27 PM EST

258 words

 

 

Rajasthan not safe for peacocks, says animal rights group

 

Indo-Asian News Service

 

Jaipur

 

Jaipur, April 2 -- The peacock, India's national bird, is not safe

in Rajasthan anymore with as many as 10 of the birds being killed

daily in the state, an animal protection group has said.

 

People for Animals says that the state government has so far failed

to arrest the increasing death toll of peacocks.

 

According to Babulal Jajoo, convener of the organisation, about 36

villages in 14 districts of Rajasthan are emerging as the most

dangerous for the peacocks. The birds are killed by poachers for

their feathers or by tribals for the meat, he said.

 

" Maximum deaths are taking place in the Ajmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh

and Shekhawati belt of the state. About 250 peacocks have reportedly

been killed in these places in the last four months, " Jajoo said.

 

The animal protection group claims that most peacock killings go

unreported. Recently, 22 peacocks were killed in Sarwada town of

Ajmer district. Similarly, nine peacocks were killed in Dabal

village of Bhilwara district.

 

Most of the times, poaching of the national bird takes place outside

the forest areas and forest officials are reluctant to probe the

matter, he said.

 

He alleged that tribal people usually kill peacocks for the meat.

The high value of the male peacock feather in international markets

is also responsible for the frequent killings by poachers.

 

Expressing concern over the increased killing of peacocks, Rajasthan

Forest Minister L.N. Dave said: " We are taking steps to stop the

killings. "

 

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Indo-Asian News

Service.