They might not be native to the Florida Keys, however peacocks have lengthy referred to as Islamorada’s Plantation Key dwelling.
Drivers traversing the Previous Freeway round MM 88 typically see the big, colourful birds strutting alongside and throughout the street. Longtime residents say the peacocks have been seen in Islamorada for a lot of many years.
Their residency within the village nearly got here to an finish, nonetheless, after an area owners affiliation was searching for to have bounty hunters take away the birds, which have been flocking onto their property. It precipitated fairly a stir in a neighborhood with residents who’ve come to adore the peacocks’ existence on the island.
A big response from the neighborhood to guard the peacocks led the Port of Name Townhouses Householders Affiliation’s board of administrators to carry off on their elimination.
“Whereas our efforts to humanely take away and relocate the overpopulated and non-native peacocks from our property had been in full compliance with Florida legislation, we’ve got chosen to pause these efforts,” reads an announcement from the owners affiliation’s lawyer to village officers on July 8, the identical day bounty hunters had been set to spherical up the peacocks through snaring, for transportation to a Georgia farm.
All of it started greater than per week in the past when info surfaced relating to the upcoming elimination of the peacocks by two bounty hunters. It was directed by the board of the administrators for the quaint townhouse neighborhood Port of Name, which consists of 10 privately-owned residences on the oceanside. The transfer got here following points they had been dealing with with the birds on their property. They are saying upwards of 60 to 80 peacocks are wreaking havoc on the property.
Per the owners affiliation’s lawyer, the foundation reason for the peacock downside was the continual feeding of the animals by two house owners inside the neighborhood — a violation of the affiliation’s guidelines. Regardless of a number of violation letters despatched by the affiliation and its authorized counsel, the letter states, these house owners proceed feeding the peafowl and exacerbating the difficulty.
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Fee characterizes peacocks as nuisance birds, that means they don’t have any particular protections.
“If the landowner or HOA is searching for elimination and there’s no native ordinance or regulation prohibiting it, the property proprietor might take away the birds themselves or rent a 3rd get together to do this work for them,” states FWC.
Additional, FWC says any live-captured nuisance wildlife have to be launched legally or euthanized humanely inside 24 hours of seize or lure inspection.
Per FWC, nonnative fowl species, together with peacocks, have develop into established in municipalities throughout the state by escaping from properties or by launch. They’ll exhibit nuisance behaviors when their numbers multiply or when they’re being fed by individuals, which has been the case for Port of Name.
“In consequence, our house owners are left to deal with the waste they produce, together with their territorial habits towards kids, autos and pets, in addition to noise disturbances and security
issues,” reads an announcement from the owners affiliation. “Sadly, the feeding of those wild animals by residents, guests and friends has additionally led on to their overpopulation on our grounds.”
Village Supervisor Ron Saunders acknowledged in his weekly publication that he spoke with FWC officers, who mentioned no permits had been issued or wanted relating to peacocks. Saunders mentioned the village’s authorized counsel researched the difficulty and located the Monroe County animal management ordinance applies inside the village. The ordinance requires any seizures and impoundments have to be achieved “in a humane method” and any one that seizes an animal should “train utmost care to deal with the animal humanely and to keep away from any damage.”
Mayor Sharon Mahoney mentioned the council will assessment its ordinances associated to livestock at a July 22 assembly on the Founders Park Neighborhood Middle.
“That is a part of a broader effort to make sure our codes replicate the wants and values of our neighborhood as an entire,” she wrote within the current village publication.