In a rare display, a peacock was spotted in the snowy forests near Manali in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, forest officials said on Wednesday.
Officials of the Forest Department stated that the national bird was seen in the forest area near Jagatsukh village, about eight kilometres from Manali, at an elevation of 6,893 feet. Local residents first spotted the bird, and a video of it later went viral on social media.
Rajesh Sharma, Deputy Conservator of Forests in Kullu, said officials reached the spot after receiving the information and found the bird to be in good condition.
He said peacocks are usually found across the country, mainly in plains and lower-elevation areas. In Himachal too, they are mostly seen in the lower hills and plains. Spotting peacocks at higher elevations is rare, and rising temperatures and global warming could be pushing birds to move to such heights.
He added that this was not the first time a peacock had been seen in the area. The bird has been spotted here a few times earlier as well. Over the years, the region has experienced a rise in temperature, making higher elevations more suitable for such species.
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