The official ruled out intentional bird hunting, as peacocks are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972
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A peacock was found dead in a forest in Thane district in Maharashtra, prompting the authorities to launch an investigation into the incident, an official said on Saturday, PTI reported.
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The carcass was found by the villagers in the forest of Dahagaon in Kalyan taluka on January 29 and informed the authorities, he said.
As per PTI, Regional Forest Officer (RFO) Sanjay Channe said that the remains were sent for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death, and a case has been filed against unidentified individuals.
He said, "There is a possibility that villagers had placed traps for hunting small animals, and the peacock may have strayed into one and got fatally caught."
However, he rules out intentional bird hunting, as peacocks are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, PTI cited.
The forest department and animal rights activists have launched an awareness campaign in 10 villages around the area to educate locals about the dangers of animal traps and the legal consequences of harming wildlife.
Mumbai: 50 animals dead at Byculla Zoo, citizens express concern
According to the latest report from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), approximately half of the animals at Byculla Zoo, with birds being the majority, died due to cardiac arrest, with around 10 per cent succumbing to respiratory issues. Concerns have been raised by citizens regarding the high percentage of deaths. 58 per cent of deaths were attributed to cardiac arrest and approximately 10 per cent were due to respiratory problems at Byculla Zoo. However, the zoo management contends that these occurrences are commonplace, often resulting from animal conflicts or natural ageing processes.
Trustee of Watchdog Foundation Adv Godfrey Pimenta expressed concern over the alarming deaths and causes of death of animals and birds. According to the data
which was published on the Central Zoo Authority website, a total of 50 animals (including birds) died at Byculla Zoo due to various reasons. Of the 47 deaths, 33 were birds, and 17 were mammals. 10 of the 17 mammals that died were members of the deer family.
As per the available data, 24 birds, three deer, and two turtles died due to cardiac arrest. While four deer and 1 emu died due to respiratory failure.
After going through the CZA data, a senior veterinarian said, "Generally, cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest are the ultimate causes of death mentioned in a post-mortem report. However, if the animal is being treated for whatever reason, much of the underlying and contributory causes of mortality can be determined. I saw the data on animal deaths at Byculla Zoo on the CZA website, and prima facie, I don't think there's anything to be concerned about because the pattern of mortality is consistent as occurring in other zoos as well."
Pimenta demanded an inquiry into these deaths. Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Zoo said, “These are normal deaths. Mainly due to old age and fighting.”
(With PTI inputs)
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