Judge's remark spurs visitor count in Kerala peacock sanctuary

Kerela - People step in to see how the bird reproduces

Among the many pearls of wisdom that the retiring Rajasthan High Court judge MC Sharma cast recently, his explanation why the peacock is unique is now a matter of folklore. He had said among other things - and this includes cow being the only animal to "inhale and exhale oxygen"- "The peacock is a lifelong brahmachari" , or celibate.  He had further contributed to the knowledge of the birds: "It never has sex with the peahen. The peahen gets pregnant after swallowing the tears of the peacock." 
This was laughed away to tears by the social media. But the fact is that the Judge's remarks have attracted the public's attention to the tear-drinking bird.
Especially in Kerala.  Choolannur in Palakkad district is the only peacock sanctuary in India. Since last fortnight, the footfall in the sanctuary has increased by several folds. And most of them have stepped in to see how indeed does the bird reproduce.
The park is around 3.5 sq. km and affords natural shelter for over 300 peafowls. Ever since its inauguration in 2007, the park has kept a low profile, and has been visited by very few people, not more than a score a year, according to one forest official.
But the Judge has altered all that. Suddenly, hundreds of visitors are making a beeline in the park. Last week alone, close to 200 visitors turned up daily, and most of them have probing questions on the now legendary mating habits of the birds.
Said a forest official T G Babu: "Justice Sharma has got it a little wrong. During courtship, peacocks spread their tail feathers into a large fan-shape and strut about to attract peahens. The peacock then mounts the peahen and transfers its sperm into the peahen's uterus to fertilize the egg via muscular spasms.'' This is, he adds, how most birds mate.
"For breeding purposes, a peahen looks for a secluded vegetated area, and the sanctuary provides this. When the young ones are hatched, the mother bird raises them on their own, and the males keep away from the breeding spot."
The peacock is India's national bird, and it is legally protected from hunting. The Choolannur sanctuary is free of predators. As a result, the number of the peacocks has gone up considerably. According to the forest officials, the peacock is vital for the ecosystem as they feed on insects that are harmful to the crops. While eating too, they shed, few tears.

• India