By TERRY CHEA and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, Related Press
WALNUT GROVE — Dozens of peacocks and peahens recognized for wandering the grounds of a historic Artwork Deco resort within the Sacramento Delta are lacking, and the resort employees mentioned Tuesday they imagine the birds had been stolen.
After a buyer on the Ryde Lodge talked about Sunday seeing two males grabbing one of many birds and placing it inside a cage on the mattress of a pickup truck, the employees did a rely and realized solely 4 of their unique birds remained, David Nielsen, the resort’s common supervisor, mentioned.
“We’re not sure why anyone would do anything like this, but the staff is absolutely heartbroken,” Nielsen mentioned.
Authorities are investigating the case as a property crime. The male birds are valued at $2,000 every and the peahens at $1,000 every, mentioned Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a spokesperson on the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Workplace. He didn’t share any extra info.
The proprietor bought 5 of the birds to wander the grounds 14 years in the past. They reproduced “to the point that they became a signature of the hotel,” Nielsen mentioned. Peacocks are frequent in Artwork Nouveau design.
Employees fed them leftovers of filet mignon, prime rib and salmon, and over time, the birds turned tamer. They obtained used to folks, and the workers started seeing them as pets, even naming a few of them.
Rafe Goorwitch, the resort’s catering coordinator, mentioned he fed a bunch of about 15 peafowls twice daily. He named the most important one Alibaba, Baba for brief, as a result of he would stroll by way of the resort like he owned the place.
“I joked with the owner that we worked for Baba because he would walk through the dinner rooms, the ballrooms and the garden with this attitude that he was the boss,” Goorwitch mentioned.
Peacocks are usually aloof, however Baba “became like a dog,” he mentioned.
Lodge employees are hoping the birds are discovered and returned house. For now, the resort has added higher and extra surveillance cameras, and there are plans so as to add extra fencing.
“They really meant a lot to us,” Nielsen mentioned.
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Rodriguez reported from San Francisco.
Initially Printed: July 23, 2025 at 7:56 AM PDT
