42 Peacocks dead due to disease in Tharparkar, Pakistan

At least eight more peacocks died of viral Newcastle disease in Bhopay village here on Thursday, increasing death toll to 42 across Tharparkar.

Due to scorching hot weather, Newcastle disease broke out in various areas of the drought-hit Tharparkar, according to wildlife officials. At least 42 affected peacocks died in two days, they said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Newcastle is a contagious bird disease affecting many domestic and wild avian species; it is transmissible to humans. Tharparkar’s drought and hot weather has started hitting the birds as dozens of peacocks have died in different villages of Diplo taluka – the worst-affected area of the district by the drought this year.

Dozens of birds visit each house of different villages early in the morning. “We serve these birds wheat and some other eatables available at home,” said Desh Mukh, a local villager. After taking their share, these birds fly away, he said. “It is painful for us that our birds are dying in large number,” he said.