Cai Rang Ward police said on August 28 that they had handed over an Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) to the Can Tho City Sub-department of Rural Development and Forest Protection for care and procedures to release it back into the wild.

The peacock, also known as the Indian peafowl, is a rare bird belonging to the pheasant family and is renowned for its spectacular plumage.

The bird unexpectedly flew into Tam’s family duck enclosure on the afternoon of August 23. Initially believing it might be someone’s pet that had gone astray, Tam took photos and posted them on social media in an effort to find its owner.

Several people later contacted him and offered around $190 to buy the peacock.

However, recalling local police awareness campaigns on wildlife protection, Tam realized that keeping or trading the bird without authorization would violate the law. He turned down the offers and voluntarily brought the peacock to Cai Rang Ward police headquarters to hand it over.

The Indian peafowl is a wild animal listed in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and is subject to strict management and protection.

Cai Rang Ward police advised residents who find wild animals straying into residential areas not to capture, keep or trade them on their own, but to immediately notify the authorities so the animals can be handled in accordance with regulations.

Hoai Thanh