Lok Sabha Question No. 2489 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-15
Subject: Crop Damage by Peacocks
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Matheswaran V S

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2489

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025

## Crop Damage by Peacocks

## 2489.  SHRI MATHESWARAN V S:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  Peacocks  are  causing  distress  to  farmers  by damaging their crops and foodgrains;
- (b) the steps  taken  by  the  Department  of Wildlife  to control  the  movement of  Peacocks in Agricultural fields;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to give compensation to farmers who are affected by peacocks;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to take details from the State Governments to assess the damage  caused  by  peacocks,  especially  in  the  State  of  Tamil  Nadu  particularly  in  the districts of Erode, Karur, Namakkal, Coimbatore, Salem, Krishnagiri; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (e)   Incidences of crop damage due to wildlife are reported from different part of country from time to time. However, the management of wildlife including mitigation of human-animal conflicts is  primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration. The State Government/Union Territory Administration is the first responder in  Human  Wildlife  Conflict  situations.  The  information  regarding  such  incidences  are  not collated at the level of Ministry.

The  Ministry  provides  financial  assistance  to  State  Governments  and  Union  Territory Administrations under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' and 'Project Tiger and Elephant' for management of wildlife and its habitat in the country. The activities  supported  under  the  scheme  include  procurement  of  early  warning  systems, construction and erection of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar, powered electric fence, bio-fencing, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields, compensation for depredation by wild animals including cattle lifting, crop damage, loss of life and property.

As per the information received from the State Government of Tamil Nadu, the presence of peacocks has been recorded in all 38 districts of Tamil Nadu. Some level of crop damage in agricultural fields does occur due to peacocks; however, they also benefit farmers and their crops by reducing rats, insects, worms, etc. A scientific study has been conducted by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department through the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) on the population status of peacocks in selected locations of Tamil Nadu, evaluation of  crop  depredation  by  peacocks,  human-peacock  interactions,  and  exploration  of  suitable measures to mitigate crop damage. Further, upon receiving information from the public and farmers, the jurisdictional forest officials are being deputed to the affected areas to assess the damage and take suitable action for compensation.

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