BENGALURU: Peacock numbers at Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary have improved significantly in recent years after their numbers fell a couple of years back.
The Sanctuary spread in about 80-acres, an abode of Peacocks, disappeared after Adichunchanagiri Mutt, an influential religious institution, took up lots of construction activities causing disturbance to the existence of peacocks. The Mutt is attached to the Sanctuary in Nagamangala taluk of Mandya.
Villagers surrounding the Mutt told Deccan Chronicle on Thursday “We don’t get to see peacocks often at the Hills. Earlier, we sighted peacocks perched on rocky boulders but anymore.” The villagers suspected the construction activities undertaken by Mutt might have made the peacock desert the place owing to disturbances and settled in nearby villages/farms.
But, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mysuru Wildlife division Prabhugouda Patil said “We have good number of peacocks at the sanctuary. Infact, the numbers have improved/increased.” The DCF said “There are a hell lot of peacocks.”
A forest officer attached to Nagamangala range stated “The population of peacocks have swelled even in urban areas. The population of peacocks are healthy at the Adichunchanagiri peacock sanctuary.” He added, “One might not get a direct sight of a peacock often but we (forest personnel) come across peacocks at the sanctuary.”
“Peacocks are in significant numbers around the villages of Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary as well,” the officer said.
The Adichunchanagiri Peacock Sanctuary came in for appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the Adichunchanagiri Mutt on Wednesday. Modi recalled the previous pontiff of the Mutt Dr Balagangadharanatha Swamiji led a campaign for peacocks. He termed peacocks as “cultural identity” for being a vehicle of Lord Subramanya, worshipped by Hindus.
Modi stated his residence in New Delhi has a quite good peacock population and said that made peacocks his friends.
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