What Eats Peacocks?
Peacocks have an omnivorous diet and are not the preferred prey of predators. Predators in the jungles of South Asia where peacocks abound kill and eat peacocks for want of other prey like herbivorous deer or cattle. Carnivorous animals like canines kill and eat peacocks in urban areas and in zoos. Those who keep peacocks as pets and zoo keepers should keep peacocks safe and away from possible predators. People regard peacocks as ornamental birds and keep them as pets and rarely rear them for their meat.
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Big Cats
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Big cats hunt peacocks when they do not get other prey like cattle or deer. The peacock abounds in the jungles of India and Sri Lanka. The big cat predators in these jungles include tigers and leopards. Peacocks fly and perch on trees to escape predators. While tigers seldom climb trees and prefer to hunt animals on the ground, leopards will climb trees to catch peacocks as prey.
Smaller Predators
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Several smaller animals other than big cats hunt and eat peacocks in South Asian jungles. These include mongooses, wild dogs like the dhole of India and wild cats.
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Urban Animals
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Peacocks kept as ornamental birds live in cities and towns in India. Stray dogs often hunt and eat peacocks in urban India.
Pets
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Peacocks kept as pets in countries all over the world are vulnerable to other types of predators. Other pets like large dogs kept with peacocks can attack and make a meal of the peacock. Other animals like raccoons native to the place will also hunt and eat peacocks.
Humans
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Peacock meat is an ingredient in some dishes in China. In the rest of the world peacock meat is regarded as a novelty meat. The Chinese regard peacock meat as a delicacy because it has a sweet taste and a delicate fragrance. Peacock meat does not enjoy popularity in the rest of the world because of its dark and unappetizing color and its dry and chewy texture.
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References
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