Peacock that escaped from Raj Bhavan rescued from south Mumbai

A peacock that had escaped from Raj Bhavan was finally rescued and taken to a veterinary hospital in Parel on Sunday for injuries it sustained on its foot and head. The bird had escaped a month ago.

A peacock that had escaped from Raj Bhavan was finally rescued and taken to a veterinary hospital in Parel on Sunday for injuries it sustained on its foot and head. The bird had escaped a month ago.

After being treated, the peacock will be released at the Raj Bhavan, rescuers said.

HT photo: Anshuman Poyrekar

Animal rescuer Yogesh Panhale had been receiving several calls over the past month of peacock sightings from different parts of south Mumbai like Malabar Hill, Gowalia Tank and Girgaon.

At 6.30am on Sunday, Panhale received a call from the local police about an injured peacock being spotted near the Hanging Gardens at Malabar Hill. “When I went to the spot, I found a male peacock, about five to six years old. It had an infection on its left foot and head,” he said.

Panhale said the reason why the peacock escaped was because locals along the periphery of Raj Bhavan had been giving it food.

Officials from the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) said that the bird had a swelling on the foot and head and would not be released until it had fully recovered.