Carcasses of 14 peacocks recovered in Ajmer

Carcasses of 14 peacocks have been recovered in Rajasthan's Ajmer district, wildlife activists said Friday.

Activists said the carcasses were found Thursday and Friday from Ajaysar Forest Block in the district, around 150 km from here.

The incident has once against brought to the fore the concern over rampant peacock poaching in the state as the activists claimed that at least 10 birds - the country's national bird - are being killed every day in the state.

"As per the post-mortem report, the peacocks were fed poisonous grains. It is suspected they were poached," said a forest department officer.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in this regard.

"We have launched an investigation and are trying to identify the poachers," the officer said.

"Peacocks are killed for feather and meat. Oil is also extracted from their body. Farmers also poison them to protect their fields," said Babulal Jaju, state head of the NGO People For Animals.

He added that peacocks are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and poachers can be sentenced to imprisonment with a fine.

"Despite that, peacock killings are going on unabated in the state," Jaju said.

"We demand that action should be taken against the forest, administration and police officials of the areas where peacock killings are reported in large number," he added.