PINECREST, Fla. – There is a peacock problem in Pinecrest and now county officials think they have a solution.
Some residents tell Local 10 News the animals are overpopulating the village and damaging their cars.
They’ve been called the “pests of Pinecrest,” depending on who you ask.
“If I ever send pictures to people who don’t live here, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, you have peacocks?’” said Pinecrest resident Lesley Russo.
Commissioner Raquel Regalado said the peacock problem is as unique to her district as the birds are themselves.
“I know everyone sees them and they’re like, ‘Oh, they’re so beautiful,’ but when you have a pack of 20, squawking at 3 in the morning, it gets a little annoying and everybody calls their county commissioner,” said Regalado. “When they see their reflection in cars, and in windows, they attack it. They get up on top of the roof -- they’re very protective about their nests.
“The number one complaint is peacocks, and we’re actually moving toward their mating season where they get very, very aggressive.”
Regalado said there is a plan to curtail the problem.
“It’s vasectomies for peacocks,” she said.
As well as Salpingectomies -- that’s the removal of the fallopian tubes, for the peahens.
The plan is to partner with a vet to perform the procedures, and humanely help the situation.
In June, village leaders agreed to send their “peafowl mitigation plan” to the county for approval.
“We’re going to be tagging them and finding out what the population is, what is a sustainable population, and how we can ensure that we can all coexist without property damage, without the peacocks being hurt,” said Regalado.
The concept is not so far-fetched, as the county’s been spaying and neutering stray cats and dogs for years.
Russo says invasive or not, leave the peacocks at peace.
“I really don’t mind the peacocks,” she said. “It’s the iguanas that are worse. You need to render them un-reproductive, or whatever the word is.”