Has Climate Change affected the distribution of Peacocks in Sri Lanka? Find out the facts.

The peacock population in Sri Lanka has been increasing drastically over the last decade. Peacocks were limited to dry zone areas of Sri Lanka like Hambantota and Monaragala for centuries. However, during recent times, peacocks have been observed in wet zone areas of the country like Kandy, Colombo and Kalutara, areas usually very rare to these birds. Has global climate change played a part in the spread of the peacock population in Sri Lanka? Or is this a common misconception among people? We did an investigation to find out the facts related to this.

Peacocks in Sri Lanka

Peacock (Pavo cristatus) species living in Sri Lanka is also known as the Indian Peafowl. Generally, these birds are attributed to the country’s significant cultural and religious values. However, the peacock population of the country is increasing and has become a threat to the farmers of both dry and wet zones, as peacocks depend mainly on grains and vegetables.

Crop-Damaging Animals in Sri Lanka

According to Hector Kobbakaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI), crop damage increased up to 30-40% this year due to wild animals. Out of the total crop damage, wild elephants were the least destructive, only damaging 20 per cent of the crops. In addition, 34 per cent of crop damage is caused by peacocks and several major bird species—wild animals such as monkeys, boars, peacocks and squirrels damage 46% of the crops. More on this here. Archived.

Peacocks are disrupting the farming community, threatening serpents and lizards too…

Peacocks are non-fussy omnivore creatures that feed on plant food such as seeds, grains, berries, vegetables, fruits, insects, arthropods, small lizards, snakes, frogs and rodents. They require a high-protein diet to keep their feathers healthy and generally have a strong appetite. So, it’s inevitable that when peacocks come in contact with farmlands, to feed and damage these crops. Read more about the peacock diet here. Archived.

Bird and Wildlife Team (Pvt.) Ltd. Co-Founder Uditha Hettige points out that expansion of road networks and especially Expressways had gradually helped the peacocks to move towards cities and villages easily, earlier more confined to forest sanctuaries of Kumara, Lahugala, Yala etc. He adds that the peacock migration patterns are not only affecting the farming community but also threatening species like serpents and lizards. More on this here

Deforestation is the leading cause for increasing peacock population- Experts Say…

We discussed the matter with Dr Sampath Senevirathna, an academic & researcher at the University of Colombo who has decades of research experience related to birds and their behaviour in Sri Lanka.

Dr Sampath pointed out that the main reason for the distribution of the peacock population is domestic deforestation.

“Domestic deforestation is happening rapidly in Sri Lanka. State institutes, Departments, various Private sector organisations, and individual citizens are all responsible for the deforestation inside the country.” Dr Sampath pointed out.

He further stated that artificial dry zone areas are being created inside the boundaries of the wet zone due to rapid deforestation.

“There are a lot of newly created dry zone-like areas in the wet zone; that’s the main reason for peacocks to expand their population into the wet zone areas”, he further elaborated.

According to Dr Sampath, several deforestation-induced reasons are causing the increment of the peacock population and expansion of peacocks to the wet zone of Sri Lanka.

Decreasing Numbers of Carnivores

“The peacock population has been increasing for the last few years. Another contributing factor for this trend is the decreasing number of carnivores like foxes, leopards, etc., who usually feed on peacock eggs and peachicks,” he added.

“The vulnerable stages of the peacocks’ life cycle are eggs and juvenile peacocks. Peacock eggs are very nutritious, and juvenile peacocks are supposed to taste like chicken. Hence, the carnivores like leopards and foxes eat them. Therefore, the peacock population was under control for centuries. However, with the rapid deforestation in the country, there has been significant habitat loss for the carnivore population. As a result, the peacock population has a chance to grow, and we can see the rapid growth of the peacock population in Sri Lanka.”, he said.

Global Climate Change is NOT a significant driver towards the Peacock population in Sri Lanka

Dr Sampath points out that the rapid local deforestation has significantly impacted climate change in the country. So, in that sense, climate change is linked with peacock population expansion. But it’s not due to this “global climate change” phenomenon, Dr Sampath noted

He also claims that certain parties in the country try to escape their environmental protection responsibilities by attributing everything to “global climate change.”

“Giving responsibility to the men living in developed countries like Britain and France is easier than protecting and conserving our environment and avoiding climate hassles on our own.”, Says Dr Sampath.

Meanwhile, Mega Ganeshan, a past president of the Young Zoologists Association (YZA), also stated that the peacock issue could not be narrowed down to global climate change.

“Peacocks are becoming invasive due to their expansion to different parts of the country. It could be climate change or looking for mates, the presence of fewer predators and foraging,” she explained.

Reforestation and Habitat Restoration – Best Solutions

Dr Sampath noted that the unusual increment of the peacock population could be controlled by stopping the rapid deforestation and initiating reforestation/habitat restoration methods. “Reforestation action will help restore the ecosystem equilibrium, and the problem will be solved automatically.”, he said.

Prof. Sampath Seneviratne also mentions that as leopards and jackals are the main predators of peacocks, there is an option to keep their numbers in check by introducing larger predators such as mongoose, fishing cats, and leopards. Yet this has to be done without impacting the natural balance of the ecosystems, he adds.

Peacock Culling – A Controversial Topic in SL

Meanwhile, several ecologists suggest culling as a temporary solution to control the peacock population getting out of hand. However, there is much controversy over this subject, as peacocks are considered sacred animals in Sri Lanka. Ecologist Thasun Amarasinghe’s views on culling can be read here Archived.

In a nutshell

It is clear that the effects of deforestation, including the reduction of natural predators, have mainly contributed to the population burst of peacocks and their shift towards new geographies, such as parts of the wet zone, more than the effects of global climate change.

Experts believe that reforestation and habitat restoration is the way to reverse this worrying phenomenon of the bursting peacock population, which could turn into even more significant proportions in the future. And as peacock culling remains a controversial topic in a country like Sri Lanka, introducing some natural predators could also be a solution. Yet, it has to be carefully planned out, ensuring not to disturb the balance in the ecosystems.