The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) stated that the peacock is designated as a protected bird species under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, and that killing peacocks for whatever reason is a punishable offence.

In the recent past, two videos circulating on social media platforms show a few members of the Vedda community, along with foreign tourists, roasting and consuming peacock meat inside the Maduru Oya National Park, sparking discussions about peacock killings.

Commenting on the legal situation, Department Director General Chandana Sooriyabandara said that killing peacocks is prohibited irrespective of the purpose. “The Ordinance has a list of protected species of animals and birds, and the peacock is one of them. Killing them for any reason is punishable under the provisions of that Ordinance,” he said.

The topics of peacock killings surfaced after a video, which is believed to have been recorded in 2019 or 2020, gained attention on social media platforms, accumulating millions of views and sparking public outrage, leading to an official investigation. The second video was released to YouTube recently. The indigenous suspects, in the videos, are seen using traditional hunting tools like bows and arrows to capture the peacock.

Speaking on the matter recently, Vedda Chieftain Uruwarige Wannila Aththo said that certain YouTubers are enticing members of the Vedda community to engage in such acts by offering them alcohol and money. He warned that if such incidents recur, he would be compelled to initiate legal action against both his community members engaged in such acts and those encouraging them.