20 peacocks die of viral disease in Pakistan

Karachi: A viral disease code named `Ranikhat` has killed about 20 peacocks in Pakistan`s Sindh province, wildlife officials said today. The peacocks died in the Tharparkar district, which is famous for its desert area and is inhabited by the highest number of Hindus in the province. The area has been hit by extremely hot weather this year.

"Last year also this disease code named `Ranikhat` had killed around 170 beautiful peacocks before the monsoon season," an official of the Sindh wildlilfe department said. "This year it has killed around 20 peacocks and we are trying to ascertain how to stop this disease from spreading further in the province," he said. The official said so far the peacocks had died in the Hothi Kharch, Motatio, Aarokhi, Sajaee and villages of Deeplo Tehsil. "We also have reports that they are several peacocks suffering from this disease in Singalo village," he added. The villagers fear that the disease could spread and infect peacocks in neighbouring areas, claiming that no team from the wildlife department had visited the affected areas so far. PTI