A group in Dongguan openly sells meat-eating peacocks, and citizens question their behavior.

Blue peacocks raised in Wu State

In the "List of National Key Protected Wild Animals", artificially bred blue peacocks can be eaten and viewed

We eat a lot of common poultry such as chickens, geese and ducks. Have you tried peacock meat? Near Housha Road in Dongguan, there is a breeding farm that specializes in selling carnivorous peacocks, raising hundreds of beautiful blue peacocks. Owner Wu Guoguo said that blue peacocks are different from green peacocks and can be raised legally by individuals. They can not only be kept for viewing and as pets, but also as a delicious food.

The farm once raised more than a hundred peacocks

"Wow, it turns out that peacocks can also be eaten!", "Boss, does peacock meat have any nourishing effects?", "I wonder if raising this is fun?"... The peacock breeding farm of 24-year-old Wu Guoqi is at the exit of the viaduct. A steady stream of vehicles pass by every day, and curious people stop their cars to watch, take pictures, and record videos. Several wooden signs were hung at the door of his farm, with the words "Meat-eating Peacocks for Sale" written in bright red paint, and his personal phone number and WeChat ID were marked for interested buyers to contact him for consultation.

It is understood that the "head" of the farm, Wu Guoguo, is from Fuzhou, Jiangxi. In 2013, when he first arrived in Houjie, he tried growing vegetables in a greenhouse. Later, he heard that his uncle in his hometown was very successful in breeding peacocks, so he brought a few peacock seedlings back to Wanwan. Raising peacocks from scratch, Wu Guoguo relied entirely on self-study. He bought many books about poultry farming in the bookstore to read, and exchanged experiences with other farmers on online forums whenever he had time. "Feed them corn and vegetables every day, just be careful not to make them sick." Wu Guoguo said that poultry are susceptible to influenza and other diseases. When he first started breeding, he had relatively little disease prevention knowledge and lost seven or eight adult peacocks. Now he is able to skillfully distinguish various symptoms and carry out epidemic prevention treatment in advance. In his small farm, there were more than a hundred peacocks at most.

A peacock sells for about 600 yuan

Wu Guoguo receives a lot of consultation calls every day, and the number of people added on his WeChat account has also doubled. However, most people ask out of curiosity, and in the end they only buy a few. "In my impression, peacocks are only for viewing. It's psychologically difficult to accept eating them." At the breeding farm, several onlookers also admitted that they were worried that eating peacocks was illegal. Regarding the question of whether it is legal to sell and eat peacocks, the reporter consulted the "List of National Key Protected Wild Animals" and learned that there are many varieties of peacocks. The green peacock is a national first-level protected animal and cannot be bought or sold, let alone hunted and eaten. What Wu Guoqiu raises and sells is blue peacock, also known as Indian peacock, which is the most cultivated species of peacock. Artificially bred blue peacocks can be eaten and viewed.

On the other hand, peacocks take two to three years to mature, weigh about seven pounds, and cost about 600 yuan each. Many citizens find it too expensive and are reluctant to buy and eat them. "There are also many people who buy blue peacocks as pets," Wu Guoguo told reporters. Last year, a boss who passed by Nancheng bought more than 30 peacocks at once, saying they were given to friends, and he kept a few to raise in his yard. Wu Guoguo said that citizens who want to keep peacocks as pets at home should pay attention: Although peacocks are docile by nature and will not walk outdoors at will, they will neigh loudly when stimulated by the outside world, which may cause trouble to their family members and neighbors.

Reporter Wang Junwei Correspondent Lin Baoqi