Karnataka: Minister orders probe into death of 19 peacocks in Tumakuru district
Mr. Khandre instructed the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) to constitute a team headed by a Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) to investigate the deaths. The Minister sought an investigation report to be submitted within five days and take action as per the rules.
He said that the government has taken the death of the national bird seriously. He said that, according to media reports, the death of the peacocks was due to pesticide consumption.
The Minister has directed the team to investigate whether pesticide was indeed used to kill the peacocks or if the birds died after feeding on crops laden with pesticides sprayed by farmers.
He also said that wildlife deaths under Schedules 1 and 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, should be investigated, and information should be provided to his office immediately.
The deaths of the 19 peacocks come in the backdrop of the deaths of several wildlife species in the State in the last couple of months. On June 26, five tigers, a mother and it's four cubs, were found dead in the M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar district. The cause of death was found to be poisoning.
On July 2, twenty monkey carcasses were found stuffed in bags and dumped along the Kandegala-Kodesoge Road in the buffer zone of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve near Gundlupet.
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Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
20 peacocks found dead in Tumakuru district, probe on
Twenty peacocks were found dead under unexplained circumstances in Hanumanthapura village in Tumakuru district over Saturday and Sunday, wildlife officials aware of the matter said on Monday. The carcasses, comprising three males and 17 females, were discovered across farmlands near the Kere Kodi stream, officials said (File photo) The carcasses, comprising three males and 17 females, were discovered across farmlands near the Kere Kodi stream, officials said. Local forest personnel were alerted immediately after the discovery, they added. The carcasses were then handed over to veterinary officials for preliminary analysis, and samples were sent for forensic examination, the officials further added. 'The first incident occurred on Saturday and we have registered a case,' said Madhugiri Range forest officer M Suresh Kumar. 'We have collected food and body samples and sent them to FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) for examination on Monday. The exact cause of death would be known only after the report comes.' Villagers said the first carcass was spotted near a stream on Saturday, and more were found in the days that followed. While the cause of death has not been officially established, forest officials suspect that the birds may have consumed pesticide-laced crops or were deliberately poisoned. Local residents also raised concerns about the use of banned agrochemicals in surrounding farmlands. The Karnataka forest department is awaiting the laboratory test results, which are expected to determine whether the peacocks ingested harmful substances, officials said, adding that they were not ruling out any possibilities, including accidental poisoning or targeted wildlife harm. Peacocks are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and killing them is a punishable offence. With no prior record of natural causes or avian flu in the area, the deaths have raised red flags for enforcement agencies. Conservationists said the Tumakuru incident adds to growing concerns about the indiscriminate use of chemicals and the lack of enforcement around banned substances in agriculture. While the motive behind the suspected poisoning remains unclear, experts said it was likely that the peacocks had fed on contaminated crops or water sources. Forest officials said no signs of physical injury were found on the carcasses, further strengthening the theory of internal poisoning. They are also checking for any patterns or links between this case and previous instances of wildlife deaths caused by pesticide use. 'We will take strict action once the FSL report is in,' said a senior forest officer overseeing the investigation. 'If this is indeed a case of poisoning, we will identify the source and file cases under appropriate sections of the Wildlife Protection Act.' Wildlife activists called for increased surveillance and awareness programs to prevent further incidents.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
20 peacocks found dead in Tumakuru; probe on
Bengaluru: After the national animal, it's the national bird that met a gory end in Karnataka. A month after the shocking killing of five tigers at MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, near Mysuru, as many as 20 peacocks were found dead in Tumakuru district, 120km from Bengaluru, over the weekend. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Forest minister Eshwar Khandre has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident reported from Hanumanthapura village in Midigeshi hobli of Madhugiri taluk early Saturday. Stating that the govt has taken a serious note of the incident — which is "the third such killing of wildlife with poison in a month" — the minister said the probe will find out whether miscreants used pesticide to kill peacocks or the birds accidentally consumed insecticide sprayed on the crops. "As soon as villagers spotted peacock carcasses, they alerted the range forest officer (RFO). We rushed to the spot. While the first carcass was spotted next to an outlet of a village lake, the others were found in a 600-metre radius," said a forest officer. A team of veterinary officers inspected the area. G Shashidhar, deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Tumakuru district, told TOI they have registered a case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. "We have recovered three male and 17 female peacocks, and their samples have been sent for forensic tests. The cause of the death is unclear yet, though the theories doing the rounds include consumption of poisonous feed or seeds sown in the fields. The lab report will throw light on the incident," Shashidhar said. Khandre instructed chief wildlife warden PC Ray to submit a report in five days and asked him to immediately audit the death of any wildlife species categorised under schedule 1 or 2 of the Wildlife Act and submit a report henceforth. A villager said farmers usually treat the seeds with insecticide or fungicide before sowing to save them from insects or worms. "Perhaps, the peacocks consumed these seeds and died," he said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Karnataka: Minister orders probe into death of 19 peacocks in Tumakuru district
Environment Minister B. Eshwar Khandre, on Monday, ordered a probe into the death of 19 peacocks after the bird carcasses were found on a farmland at Medigeshi village of Madhugiri taluk in Tumakuru district. Mr. Khandre instructed the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) to constitute a team headed by a Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) to investigate the deaths. The Minister sought an investigation report to be submitted within five days and take action as per the rules. He said that the government has taken the death of the national bird seriously. He said that, according to media reports, the death of the peacocks was due to pesticide consumption. The Minister has directed the team to investigate whether pesticide was indeed used to kill the peacocks or if the birds died after feeding on crops laden with pesticides sprayed by farmers. He also said that wildlife deaths under Schedules 1 and 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, should be investigated, and information should be provided to his office immediately. The deaths of the 19 peacocks come in the backdrop of the deaths of several wildlife species in the State in the last couple of months. On June 26, five tigers, a mother and it's four cubs, were found dead in the M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar district. The cause of death was found to be poisoning. On July 2, twenty monkey carcasses were found stuffed in bags and dumped along the Kandegala-Kodesoge Road in the buffer zone of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve near Gundlupet.
