Junagadh (Gujarat): The Gujarat Forest Department apprehended two persons accused of hunting peacocks in Vavdi village, Junagadh, earlier this month.

The Department officials were alerted by Dinesh Goswami, member of the IFAW-WTI Emergency Relief Network (ERN) and President of the Prakriti Parivar Trust, Kodinar, Gujarat. Carcasses of two peacocks were recovered.

“I received intelligence report on some illegal hunting in Vavdi village, Sutrapada in Junagadh. We visited the site and with the help of locals, traced the hunters preparing to kill peacocks. We caught them and handed them over to the authorities. They are currently under custody,” said Goswami.

Peacock (Pavo cristatus), the national bird of India, is listed under schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Generally, it is hunted for its feathers, used in decoration, while the meat is a side product. However, in this case, the poachers allegedly hunted the bird exclusively for its meat.

“The hunters belong to the Devipujak community who are infamous for their fondness for wild meat,” Goswami said.

“The poachers use grains as bait to attract peacocks. A net is placed on one side of the bait, while the poachers attack with catapults from the other end. The fleeing birds get entangled in the net and are then caught and killed.”