What Kochi’s wildlife sightings tell us about a changing ecology

A rise in wildlife sightings of peafowl, pythons, monitor lizards, and monkeys in Kochi points to an evolving urban ecology. Sister Mini of the Congregation of Cottolengo Sisters said that a growing flock of peafowl visits daily, noting, “They come here every day to visit us with their babies.” Fen Antony, assistant conservator of forests with the Social Forestry Department, stated that pythons often arrive via waterbodies following floods. Dr Rajan Chedambath, director of the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development, explained that infrastructure clearing and warming temperatures are driving animals into urban territories.