THARPARKAR: At least two more peacocks have died due to a contagious disease as the death toll has reached to 48 in last nine days in Tharparkar.

Wildlife Department sources told that one more peacock died of disease, locally known as ‘Ranikhet’ at village Sajai and another one at Abri of Tehsil Deplo here.

Local people blamed Wildlife Department for its inaction despite the epidemic viral disease ‘Ranikhet’ taking heavy toll of the unprotected peacocks.

Dozens of other peacocks are also suffering the same disease and it was feared that toll might rise further, if no immediate steps taken to overcome the problem.

Last year, Newcastle disease virus (NDV) killed more than 300 peacocks in different parts of Tharparkar.

According to a rough estimate, there are more than 40,000 wild peacocks in Tharparkar but their number is declining because of poaching and lack of effective conservation.