Thirty peacocks die in India

The authorities in the western Indian state of Rajasthan have reported an unusual illness that has killed up to thirty peacocks in recent days.

A BBC correspondent in the state capital, Jaipur, says peacocks are highly regarded in India as they are the national bird.

A vet who examined the dead birds Dr P K Mehrotra said the peacocks were reported to have behaved strangely over the last few days, dropping their heads while perched in trees and then suddenly tumbling to their deaths.

He said the infection is likely to have developed because of the unusually large differences between the daytime and night-time temperatures.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service