As many as 13 peacocks were found dead in drought-prone Nandgaon taluka of Maharashtra's Nashik district, an official said today.
The carcasses of the country's national bird were spotted by villagers in Nagapur-Shivar area near Nandgaon-Manmad railway track yesterday, said Dr S B Gondkar, veterinarian at the government-run animal husbandry centre here.
The birds are suspected to have suffered heat stroke leading to collapse amid the rising mercury levels in the area during the last few days, he said.
There are nearly 200 peacocks in Nagapur-Hiswal area, but there are no proper arrangements for their care and no drinking water facilities for the birds, former zilla parishad member Rajendra Pawar said.
Presently, there are not many crops also in the agricultural fields and due to the heat, the birds may have died of sun stroke, he said.
Gondkar said the autopsy was conducted and the viscera sent to a local laboratory for further examination to ascertain the exact cause of death.
The carcasses were later handed over to forest department, he said.
