Cape Town - Animal rights organisation Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC) has raised the alarm on the plight of the “noisy” peacocks of Clovelly.
This week, a petition created on international website change.org, called on residents of Clovelly, Fish Hoek, Glencairn and Noordhoek to “Save the Peacocks of Clovelly” and prevent their “senseless killing”.
The plight of the birds was brought into the spotlight after a group of concerned residents filed several complaints related to the noisy birds and requested to manage the species - specifically those roaming freely on the Country Club greens.
According to the petition by BWC, “the birds have a RIGHT to be there. One cannot move into an environment surrounded by protected or wild areas, and expect the resident wildlife of any description to keep office hours to suit a few people.
Video: Tracey Adams/African News Agency
“The reason why we brought this topic to the surface is because this could mean senseless culling of the species. A few households don’t like the birds’ call at night or in the morning ,” said national chairperson Toni Brockhoven.
She told Weekend Argus the purpose of this petition is to create awareness and to gather support for the birds.
Peacocks, known for their beautifully coloured flared feathers, are highly social birds that form a vital part of the ecosystem due to their diet of smaller creatures.
If the natural flow of their ecosystem gets interrupted by residents, it could affect many key factors in the environment, Brockhoven said.
The animal rights activist believes that the birds have a right to reside in Clovelly.
“They have been there for a very long time. Unfortunately, some residents are getting involved. They decided that they need to fix and manage things. Nature is capable of sorting itself out.
“I also know that there are people who have used catapults with marbles or thrown rocks at the birds,” she said.
Brockhoven urged the public to sign the petition ahead of a November 24 meeting to decide on the birds’ future.
The peafowls were introduced to the neighbourhood by a resident who lived alongside the course. They left the breeding pair behind, Paul Stoner, manager of Clovelly Country Club told Cape Talk.
So far, 2691 people have signed the petition, which requires a total of 5000 to be actioned. See: https://www.change.org/* /save-the-peacocks-of-clovelly to find out more.