NARATHIWAT: A peacock, a protected bird believed to have strayed from a national park, was saved by two boy students on Friday.
The students of Bango Mayae School in tambon Sako of Sungai Padi district saw the large bird with blue and green feathers on the roadside on the way to the school.
They caught the bird, believing that it must be of a rare species, and intended to leave it to their teacher to decide what to do next. But while passing a police checkpoint on their way, they changed their minds and handed it over to the police.
The peacock was brought to Sako police station, where it was later handed over to Samnao Khoruamklang, an official of the Budo National Park of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, by Pol Lt Col Jaroon Chaikijkorn, the police station chief. The handover was witnessed by Rungruang Thimabutr, the Sungai Padi district chief.
Mr Rungruang said it was fortunate for the peacock, a rare beautiful bird on the list of protected animals in Category 1, to be found and saved by the schoolboys.
