Four peahens die from Jalgaon heat

The sweltering heat of Jalgaon, allegedly led to the death of four peahens on Sunday near Pachora Forest Range. While the post-mortem reports of the peahens are awaited, forest officials, based on primary data of the forensic experts, have confirmed that the death is a probable result of heatstroke, withdrawing the probabilities of poaching or hunting.

The incident took place in Dambhurni village located near Pachora Forest Range. The forest officials said it was the villagers who informed them about the death of large number of peahens and peacocks in the grasslands created by the PWD department. The area, which does not fall under protected forest range, is an extension of the Pachora Range with large grasslands and is adjacent to Soyagaon Forest Range. The vicinity houses around 150-200 peacocks and peahens, which keep on travelling amidst the adjoining forest areas.

Forest officials said that as they had heard about a large number of deaths, they visited the spot with around seven to eight medical experts to check the condition. However, they found only four half-mutilated bodies of the peahens. “The bodies were half-eaten by the wild animals and there were no traces of hunting or poaching. The feathers of the birds were intact and thus the birds were taken for post-mortem to ascertain their cause of death,” said Range Forest Officer of Pachora, S.R. Patil.

Mr Patil said that being a wildlife enthusiast himself, his department has created around 14 water holes in his 6,908 ha forest range to ensure that no wild animals or birds are dehydrated due to the excessive heat. “The temperature yesterday was around 47 degrees and the forensic experts, post examination of the mutilated bodies came to a primary conclusion of heatstroke. The post-mortem report, confirming the exact cause of death is yet awaited,” said Mr Patil. He added that forest officials have been personally taking care of the water holes in the vicinity by filling them on a frequent basis.

Forest officials said they safety incinerated the bodies of the peahens as there could be a possibility of the skin, feathers or flesh of the birds being stolen by locals. When asked him if there could be foul play involved in the death of the birds, Mr Patil said, “The villagers are very conservation centric and no reports of any such incident of hunting or poaching is reported in the area.”