Conflict with Blue Peafowl (Pavo cristatus): People Perception at Annur and Avinasi areas of Tamil Nadu, India

The present investigation is indent to study on Blue Peafowl Pavo cristatus in Annur and Avinasi areas of Tamil Nadu. Abundance and problems of peafowls in selected cultivated fields were collected using questionnaire survey method. Interviews were conducted and discussion was made with the local peoples regarding the details of peafowl. The opinion on the local cultivators are the high abundance of peafowls in the study areas may be due to the availability of sufficient food plants, insects, roosting trees and a good ground cover for breeding and protection. The cultivators opined that the peafowl feeds on a wide range of crops such as beans, chilly, capsicum, tomato, maize. Only very few incidents of poisoning happened in the recent past, otherwise the peafowls are the pet animal of the people living around. Government and nongovernmental agencies should keep a vigil against poaching and poisoning of the peafowls and make aware of the people about the importance of protecting our National Bird.

Keywords: Peafowl, Questionnaire Survey, Roosting, Food Preferences, Conservation.