The North News
Shimla, February 4
In a rare sight, a peacock has been spotted in the snowy forests near Manali in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, officials said on Wednesday. According to forest department officials, the national bird was spotted in the forest area near the Jagatsukh village, approx eight kilometres away from Manali at an elevation of 6893 feet. It was spotted by the locals and a video of the bird also went viral on social media.
Rajesh Sharma, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kullu said that upon receiving the information, officials reached the spot and found the bird in good condition.
“Peacocks are generally found across the country, mainly in plain and areas with lower elevation. In Himachal too, peacocks are found at lower hills and plains, however, peacocks at higher elevations are very rare and it could be said that the rising temperatures and global warming are the reason for birds moving to such heights,” he said.
“This is not the first time that a peacock has been spotted in the area. They have also been spotted a few times before. Over the years, the climate and temperature here has generally increased and the bird might have found higher elevations habitable,” he said.
