Shropshire Star

Mystery of 'Pedro the peacock' who set up camp on Telford university campus and became a mascot

A peacock who wandered onto university accommodation in Telford and now welcomes visitors with a shake of his tail has been adopted as a campus mascot.

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'Pedro', as he has been called, turned up at the Priorslee campus of the University of Wolverhampton three years ago with a peacock pal.

But one of the birds recently disappeared, leaving Pedro alone. However, the flamboyant bird has been taken to heart by staff and students as their unofficial mascot.

Staff at the campus think Pedro and his peacock pal had escaped from a residential home near the Wrekin, which had been reported in the Shropshire Star.

But despite enquiries they were not able to trace their former owners - and they still have no idea why the preening peafowl decided to make the campus their home.

A spokesperson for the University of Wolverhampton said: “We did have two peacocks who were living on site, but one recently disappeared. They appeared in 2021.

“We were unable to find anything out. We contacted the RSPCA but they were reluctant to come out, unless they were injured - which they weren’t. The peacock has lived on campus in the grounds every since.

“The one left has been named Pedro and staff make sure that he is catered for. You can usually find him wandering about.

“It is lovely to have such a beautiful mascot onsite and he tends to welcome visitors with a shake of his tail every now and then.”

Do you know where Pedro came from? Get in touch at reporters@shropshirestar.co.uk.