More than 100 peacocks are wreaking havoc in the Italian seaside town of Punta Marina on the Adriatic coast, leading to local divisions over what to do about the swelling colony.
By some estimates, nearly 150 peacocks are roaming free, causing a ruckus and showing aggressive behavior against humans, cars and urban gardens.
The onset of mating season this spring has escalated tensions, with the males’ loud early morning mating calls particularly aggravating residents.
“They destroy cars by attacking their own reflections, they poop sticky guano all over the sidewalks, making it dangerous to walk, and they block traffic,” Rosanna Golfarelli, who runs the local Cacao pastry shop with her husband Claudio Ianiero, told CNN.
Nesting in the courtyard near their store are six peacocks, one of whom they have affectionately named Pirilampo, designing a special cookie inspired by its fanned feathers.
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