Peacocks spared from cull as ministers retreat from labelling them vermin

The chief minister of India’s popular tourist state of Goa moved to smooth ruffled feathers on Saturday after a proposal to reclassify the peacock as vermin sparked an outcry. Laxmikant Parsekar appeared to rule out including the colourful birds in a list of “nuisance animals” being drawn up by the state to make them easier to cull. It could not be included on the list because it was the national bird, said Mr Parsekar. “It does not damage the crop. Even if there are complaints, we can have measures to handle it,” he added.

I don’t think it is included. It cannot be included in the list. It is a national bird

Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar

The peacock is India’s national bird and is protected under the country’s Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. But the state’s agriculture minister Ramesh Tawadkar suggested including them in a list of vermin along with wild boar, bison and monkeys. He said farmers in hilly areas were complaining they were damaging their crops. But animal rights activists and opposition politicians reacted angrily to the idea. Senior state Congress party leader Luizinho Faleiro branded the move suicidal and said that “killing (peacocks) is definitely not an option”.

They are out to finish the state. I pray to God to give them sense to save Goa for our generations. When someone wants to kill the national bird and the state animal it is suicidal.

Goa state Congress president Luizinho Faleiro

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