As many as 19 peacocks were found dead at the Hanumanthapura village in Karnataka’s Tumakuru district over the last two days. Although officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause, preliminary investigations suggest that poisoning may have led to the death of the peacocks, India’s national bird.
Farmers making their routine field visits in the Madhugiri taluka found carcasses of 14 female peacocks and five male peacocks scattered across agricultural land and alerted forest department officials. They were handed over to animal husbandry medical officers for forensic examination to determine the cause of death.
The first carcass was discovered near the Kere Kodi waterfall Saturday, while the others were later found in the surrounding fields. Villager residents believe the peacocks died Friday night.
This incident adds to a troubling trend of unnatural wildlife deaths in Karnataka. In July, 20 monkeys were discovered dead in the Chamarajanagar district, with forest and police officials suspecting poisoning as investigations continue.
In June, the state witnessed another wildlife tragedy when a tigress and her four cubs died in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary after consuming a poisoned cow carcass. A probe revealed that local village residents allegedly poisoned the carcass and three people were arrested later.
As per an investigation, the tigress had hunted a cow and dragged it into the forest. The village residents allegedly sprayed carbofuran, an odourless and highly toxic pesticide, on the carcass. The tigers were believed to have consumed the poisoned carcass and died.
The probe also revealed administrative lapses in the forest department. Salaries for outsourced employees were not disbursed for March, April and May, 2025, leading to a protest by watchers in front of the office of the divisional conservator of forest (DCF) at the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary June 23. The probe report noted that the officers failed to perform their basic duty of ensuring timely payment of wages to watchers, even though the funds were made available at the end of April.