Drought claims lives of 35 peacocks in Tharparkar

The starvation caused by delayed or little rains has claimed the lives of 35 peacocks in district Tharparkar last month. It was reported by monitoring and rescue teams dispatched to Tharparkar by the Sindh Wildlife Department after consultation with the livestock and poultry experts and the district administration of Tharparkar.
The monitors reported that mortality figures being propagated were very much exaggerated. They said the actual cause of the mortality was not Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) that is popularly known as rani khait. They said starvation ie deficiency of food and potable water due to delayed or little rains was the actual reason behind peacocks death.
Official in Sindh government said that the majority of desert birds died because of starvation. Wildlife department's field teams from Nangarparkar reported sighting of 1492 peacocks and shifting of 3 sick peacocks to quarantine.
Field teams reported that 450 poultry were vaccinated and one dead peacock was buried in taluka Mithi on Thursday. Similarly, in Chachro, 79 peacocks were sighted but only one sick peacock was found and shifted to quarantine. Earlier, Secretary Forest and Wildlife Department had called a meeting to ascertain the factual situation, the causes of mortality and possible urgent measures to control it. Then, the teams were sent to Tharparkar
The teams reported that 13 sick peacocks have been taken to Wildlife quarantine area and are being given vaccine, and multi-vitamins. After recovery, the peacocks will be released in jungle. The persons who will bring diseased peacock to the rescue centre will be paid transportation charges and he cannot do so he may inform Deputy Commissioner Tharparkar's Control Room on phone number 0232920899 about presence of any diseased peacock and the field staff will pick the body immediately.
People of Tharparkar have been requested to cooperate with the wildlife department, report immediately sighting of any diseased peacock in their area and keep diseased poultry away from the peacocks, as healthy peacocks get affected from poultry virus immediately. Poultry vaccines, multi-vitamins, antibiotics and other medicines are available on all the rescue centres and are being administered to poultry and peacocks by the field teams.