07/16/2025
What would the Old Road be without these walking “Works of Art”?
🦚 The Peacocks of Islamorada – A Legacy Worth Protecting 🦚
If you’ve ever driven through Islamorada and glimpsed a peacock strutting like it owned the place… well, in a way, it does.
These peacocks aren’t just random birds wandering around. They’re the living legacy of Herbert S. Zim, a world-renowned biologist, naturalist, and author. Herbie Zim wasn’t just a man with a nice house on the ocean. He was a pioneer in nature education – the creator of the Pocket Guides, those tiny books that taught generations about birds, fish, insects, trees, and more. He spent his life studying and teaching about the natural world. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he brought peacocks to his Islamorada estate as part of his vision to live immersed in nature’s beauty.
For over 60 years, these birds have been part of us. Part of our mornings as they call out across the neighborhood. Part of our sunsets as they roost high in the pines. Part of our identity. Because Islamorada isn’t just about condos and fishing boats. This is a community deeply rooted in nature – where people fight for clean water, protect the reefs, and value sustainability and balance with the world around us.
But now, an HOA based out of Homestead has decided they no longer want peacocks on their property. They hired trappers to come and remove them – to take away something that is more local than many of us who live here. We were all unsure what their true intentions were at first – euthanasia was feared. Now, word is they plan to rehome them or send them to a sanctuary. But no matter how you explain it, the reality is we’re losing them. We’re losing something that makes a difference, something that generations have grown up with.
Some call them invasive.
Some call them a nuisance.
But to many of us, they are family.
They should be a reminder of Herbie Zim’s vision – a vision rooted in curiosity, education, and respect for the natural world.
Before we erase what makes this place magical, maybe we need to ask ourselves:
What will we have left when all the wild beauty is gone?
👉If this issue touches you, there will be a Village meeting on the 22nd to address how to protect the peacocks moving forward.
👕 Also, t-shirts with the design attached are available for purchase. Click this link 👇
https://quirkyconch.printify.me/product/21450206/peacocks-belong-in-paradise
