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Last Updated:: 17/02/2020
Peacock numbers rise in Kerala’s Palakkad due to decrease in jackal population

The numbers of peafowl, India’s national bird, have arisen in Kerala’s border district of Palakkad over the last decade, according to a media report. The birds are now found in farmlands across the district in stark contrast to the past when they were confined to the fringes of forests.
They pose a significant threat to farmers in the district as they can cause severe damage to crops and also feast on insects, small reptiles and grubs due to their being omnivores. Environmentalists claim the rise in peafowl numbers in Palakkad is due to the drop in jackal numbers. Jackal numbers declined as the species lost its dens due to clearing of vegetation in the district during work for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Previously, jackals used to eat eggs laid by peahens and thus keep the peafowl population under control. That being no longer the case, the population has now risen.
Source:
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/global-eco-watch-major-ecological-happenings-of-the-week-february-10-16-2020--69309