Rising Indian peafowl numbers worry Himalayan farmers

The Indian peafowl, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, is causing significant agricultural damage in the eastern Himalayas, according to a commentary on India.mongabay.com. Farmers in Kalimpong district, West Bengal, report that the birds trample and eat crops such as paddy and chillies, with flocks of ten to fifteen birds ruining a week's labour in a single visit. Many villagers now guard fields from dawn to dusk but feel unable to act due to the bird's legal protection and cultural reverence.

A 2017 study near Kitam Bird Sanctuary in Sikkim listed the peafowl as an 'intolerable species' that may force farmers to alter livelihoods or migrate. Despite anecdotal evidence of serious losses, no studies have quantified the economic impact. The commentary notes a policy gap: while states fund 'Peacock Parks' as ecotourism attractions, ground realities in the eastern Himalaya are ignored, leaving farmers to bear the cost of conservation success alone.