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Canberra Today 15°/16° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Peafowls living on new borrowed government deadline

A peafowls couple living their life in Narrabundah. Photo: Narrabundah Peacock, Twitter

AN ADOPTIVE bird that has found its way to Narrabundah and attracts countless visitors to remains at the mercy of the ACT government until at least July.  

Government has tried to protect the life of the peafowls strolling the inner south’s streets that have been under threat from speeding motorists.

Road signage has already been erected to raise awareness for drivers and pedestrians in areas frequented by the birds that colloquially are labelled peacocks after its male species.

But four signs warning of a peafowls crossing on La Perouse Street and Carnegie Crescent in Narrabundah has not prevented seven of the 30 known birds being killed in recent times.

Two of the birds were involved in separate incidents with cars two days apart in February.

The government has been listening to feedback and said it is “continuing to support inner south communities in managing peafowl”, according to Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel.

However, advocates for the peafowls have claimed government ignored signs that pictured the birds to identify the birds for in favour of test-only yellow signs.

A meeting with the Narrabundah Peafowlers group after the introduction of both signage and recent deaths was in March in which Mr Steel said it was a “constructive conversation”.

But government authorities will not act any further until possibly July ahead after a traffic study of intersections surrounding La Perouse Street and Carnegie Crescent, and also La Perouse and Dalrymple streets is publicly released.

The report of the study will also deliver a result for parents that are fearful of letting their children walking, riding or scooting to school amid an increase of traffic volumes and speed near their family homes.

A spokesperson for Transport Canberra and City Services expects the study to “identify any potential road safety issues and will assess opportunities for improvements”.

The peafowls unknowingly first arrived in Narrabundah about three decades ago, but have been embraced by many nearby inner-south residents, who also fought hard several years ago to prove to government the birds also were not a pest.

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Ian Meikle, editor

Andrew Mathieson

Andrew Mathieson

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