M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, June 28: A total of eight peachicks have been safely recovered at two villages falling under the Bareysanr range of the Palamu Tiger Reserve recently.
Confirming this, the Deputy Director South division of PTR Mukesh Kumar said, “Our range officer of Garu west Tarun Kumar Singh who holds additional charge of the Chhipadohar west range also, along with two trackers have rescued and recovered these 8 peachicks in just one day very recently.”
Garu West Ranger Tarun Kumar Singh said, “We recovered 5 peachicks from a house at village Jhumri under the Bareysanr range. The house owner is Kherwar.”
Kherwar found eggs of the peahen in the jungles of PTR and surreptitiously brought them home. At the house, he and his family members made one of their hens to incubate it. The eggs were thus hatched and peachicks were born. The hen was taking care of the peachicks.
Tarun agreed that not all eggs of the peahen bring in the chick. Some get wasted or destroyed. The fatality of eggs of peahen is always there.
“We recovered 3 peachicks from a house at village Mangra under the Bareysanr range of PTR. Here the house owner happens to be a primitive tribal Birjiya,” Tarun said.
Birjiya also picked up the eggs from the jungles of PTR and got them incubated by his hen.
Mukesh Kumar said all the recovered peachicks are healthy and doing fine. He said peacocks and peahens are schedule 1 creatures of the Wildlife Protection Act. The recovered 8 peachicks are growing in a cage at Chhipadohar east range. These 8 have joined the 3 other peachicks there who were recovered earlier. Their feed and water are well taken care of.
“Peacock is our national bird and thus has a good legal protection for it,” reminded Mukesh Kumar, adding that hunting or capturing of it invites severe punishment.
A healthy peahen can give 20 eggs a year in four shots. The life span of a peacock or peahen is 10 to 25 years.
Meanwhile, no action was initiated against the house owners. Sources said the house owners did lift the eggs of the peahen in the jungles of PTR but they took care of it and made their hen incubate and hatch it. They arranged feed for the peachicks as well.
Mukesh Kumar said these people did not destroy the eggs of the peahen but rather ensured peachicks come out of it which is a very healthy attitude of them. It shows their love and care for the offspring of the peahen.
Tarun Kumar Singh said, “Our decision not to initiate any action under the Wildlife Protection Act against these 2 houses has won us confidence and trust of the people who believe forest officials not always harm them but they also take care of them.
Sources said there are village boys who are experts in stealing the eggs of the peahen in the jungles of PTR. They do it for fun and pleasure and they prepare an omelette of these eggs also.
