9 peacocks poisoned in Heatherlands

The death of nine peacocks in the Heatherlands neighbourhood during the past three months is being investigated by a group of concerned residents, the Garden Route SPCA George branch and the Wildlife Crime Information Network (WCIN).

- Alida de Beer

One of the poisoned peacocks on a patio of the hotel.

A necropsy on two of the birds confirmed that the cause of death was poisoning.

"We haven't had any such incidents in the eight years since the acquisition of the hotel," says Vandri du Plessis, general manager of the Hawthorn Hotel, where most of Heatherlands' peacocks roost at night.

Du Plessis says about three months ago, one peacock died, followed by another some time later. Then another two.

"When three died the one after the other in one week, we thought it might be a disease like bird flu."

Monica Vaccaro, a concerned resident, took one of the birds to a vet, and Jonestha Moths, the hotel beverages manager, took the second one, and poisoning was confirmed.

Dead peacock at hotel entrance