Rogue peacock patrols UBC's Okanagan campus

A rogue peacock has been strutting his stuff at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus, but nobody seems to know where he came from or who's responsible for making sure he comes to no harm.

The fully grown male bird has caught the attention of students and staff alike, who generally agree that he's a lively addition to the Kelowna campus.

Petey, as he has been named, has been patrolling the grounds for a couple of weeks, creating quite a spectacle for students like Luke Allinson.

"I just walked out of my dorm one day to take out my recycling and bam, it was right there."

Student Adam Goodwin said the colourful bird is a welcome addition.

"I think it's really quite delightful that there's just a peacock, wandering around the campus," said Goodwin.

Origin unclear

But no one's taking responsibility for the rogue bird, and some students like Ranjan Dutta are worried someone might actually be plucking its beautiful feathers.

"It's quite obvious. Like on this side of the lower ones, you see so many eyes there. But on the other side there's none. So I wonder if somebody has plucked it," said Dutta.

Dutta said it's beautiful to have the majestic bird on campus, but it may be endangered by its own roguish nature.

"The threat is that the bird will hurt somebody when it's scared.… He's kind of guarding that door and an animal that is scared is very dangerous to the public and itself," Dutta said.

Assistant grounds manager Al King said he thinks the bird belongs to a nearby farmer. 

"He really likes to get around. This week I'm going to play over here … next week, who knows where he's going to go. I've seen him almost everywhere," King said.

The authorities don't seem too concerned. The SPCA said it knows about Petey, and has reported him to the provincial conservation officers, who say the peacock is a domestic animal, so it's not their jurisdiction.

Officials with the Regional District of Central Okanagan said they regulate game birds, but it's not their job to collect them if they run astray.