35 Peafowls Dead This Summer: Stranded Chick in Indore Signals Urban Wildlife Collapse
TINA KHATRI
Indore
A tiny peafowl chick, wide-eyed and panting, perched helplessly on the edge of a second-floor balcony in Alok Nagar on Sunday.
The image was startling—not just for its rarity, but for what it revealed: India’s national bird, once a proud presence across Madhya Pradesh, is increasingly being pushed out of its natural habitat and into unfamiliar, hostile urban spaces.
Experts say the incident is not an anomaly, but a visible warning of a deeper ecological breakdown in Indore—where rising temperatures, vanishing green cover, and a lack of basic resources are proving fatal for the species.
Crisis in Numbers
According to local reports, at least 35 peafowls have died in Indore this summer alone, largely due to dehydration and heatstroke. Four were found dead in Kalindi Kunj Society. More carcasses were discovered near the Residency area and Ralamandal—sites where peacocks were once commonly seen.
Despite these deaths, the Forest Department has managed to install just six water and feed stations across the city. According to officials, over 50 active peafowl habitats have been identified in the area.
“We are aware of the crisis but face budget constraints,” said SDO Ralamandal Yohan Katara. “We’ve taken steps, but clearly more is needed.”
A Vanishing Icon
The Indian peafowl is still listed as “Least Concern” under IUCN’s Red List, but urban populations in Indore tell a different story.
A 2017 Bird Count India survey found a dramatic decline in sightings in city zones. At the Govindram Seksaria Institute—once home to over 20 birds—no peafowls were recorded in recent counts. Today, the species is largely confined to pockets like Mhow, Daly College, and Ralamandal, where natural vegetation remains.
The issue isn’t new. Between 2015 and 2019, 47 peafowls died from dehydration in Indore division alone. A temporary “peacock clinic” at Navratan Bagh was set up to treat birds in distress—but a permanent conservation strategy is still missing.
No Data, No Plan
Despite years of warnings, Madhya Pradesh continues to classify the species as “Data Deficient”, with no comprehensive peafowl census or monitoring system in place. Without it, there’s little basis for policy or funding.
“We’re losing dozens of birds every summer, and we don’t even have baseline data,” said Shrikant Kalamkar of Wildlife Warriors. “This is institutional apathy at its worst.”
Solutions Exist—But Not Support
Conservationists say the crisis is entirely preventable. Seasonal water bowls, tree planting, safe nesting zones, and basic community awareness could reverse the trend. Rajasthan’s Peacock Mitra initiative is cited as a model—mobilizing schoolchildren and citizens to report and rescue birds.
For now, the chick in Alok Nagar has survived. But many more may not be as lucky.
“If the national bird is falling from balconies instead of flying in forests, we’ve failed,” said Kalamkar. “It’s not a biodiversity issue anymore—it’s a wake-up call.”
TINA KHATRI
Indore
A tiny peafowl chick, wide-eyed and panting, perched helplessly on the edge of a second-floor balcony in Alok Nagar on Sunday.
The image was startling—not just for its rarity, but for what it revealed: India’s national bird, once a proud presence across Madhya Pradesh, is increasingly being pushed out of its natural habitat and into unfamiliar, hostile urban spaces.
Experts say the incident is not an anomaly, but a visible warning of a deeper ecological breakdown in Indore—where rising temperatures, vanishing green cover, and a lack of basic resources are proving fatal for the species.
Crisis in Numbers
According to local reports, at least 35 peafowls have died in Indore this summer alone, largely due to dehydration and heatstroke. Four were found dead in Kalindi Kunj Society. More carcasses were discovered near the Residency area and Ralamandal—sites where peacocks were once commonly seen.
Despite these deaths, the Forest Department has managed to install just six water and feed stations across the city. According to officials, over 50 active peafowl habitats have been identified in the area.
“We are aware of the crisis but face budget constraints,” said SDO Ralamandal Yohan Katara. “We’ve taken steps, but clearly more is needed.”
A Vanishing Icon
The Indian peafowl is still listed as “Least Concern” under IUCN’s Red List, but urban populations in Indore tell a different story.
A 2017 Bird Count India survey found a dramatic decline in sightings in city zones. At the Govindram Seksaria Institute—once home to over 20 birds—no peafowls were recorded in recent counts. Today, the species is largely confined to pockets like Mhow, Daly College, and Ralamandal, where natural vegetation remains.
The issue isn’t new. Between 2015 and 2019, 47 peafowls died from dehydration in Indore division alone. A temporary “peacock clinic” at Navratan Bagh was set up to treat birds in distress—but a permanent conservation strategy is still missing.
No Data, No Plan
Despite years of warnings, Madhya Pradesh continues to classify the species as “Data Deficient”, with no comprehensive peafowl census or monitoring system in place. Without it, there’s little basis for policy or funding.
“We’re losing dozens of birds every summer, and we don’t even have baseline data,” said Shrikant Kalamkar of Wildlife Warriors. “This is institutional apathy at its worst.”
Solutions Exist—But Not Support
Conservationists say the crisis is entirely preventable. Seasonal water bowls, tree planting, safe nesting zones, and basic community awareness could reverse the trend. Rajasthan’s Peacock Mitra initiative is cited as a model—mobilizing schoolchildren and citizens to report and rescue birds.
For now, the chick in Alok Nagar has survived. But many more may not be as lucky.
“If the national bird is falling from balconies instead of flying in forests, we’ve failed,” said Kalamkar. “It’s not a biodiversity issue anymore—it’s a wake-up call.”