KALAMAZOO, MI - Mike the Peacock is not faring well in the world of Pokemon Go.

Mike is not one of the anime' Pokemon characters. He's the large, beloved, Big Bird-like peacock topiary in downtown Kalamazoo's Bronson Park.

Early Friday morning, four girls tried to ride him, leaving an 8-inch, saddle-like gouge in the plants that make up the middle of his back, witnesses said. That and other damage is happening in part because a few Pokeman Go players aren't being careful, observers said.



"There's really nothing that we can do," said Monika Trahe, executive director of Kalamazoo in Bloom. "We just have to put it out to the public to be more respectful."

She said witnesses said the girls, whose ages were not estimated, climbed into the park's south-side floral arrangement at about 1:30 a.m. Friday. Despite admonishment from others, they did not stop until someone threatened to call the police, Trahe said.

Members of Kalamazoo in Bloom, the local nonprofit organization whose volunteers plant and then maintain beautiful spaces in the community, said flower beds adjacent to the main stage in the park have been taking damage from Pokeman Go players.

Kalamazoo in Bloom laments that park flowerbeds -- special landscaping to create an "environment" for topiary animals -- can be trampled if people don't watch where they're going and are not respectful. Mike the Peacock started taking damage as early as the first week of July, observers said.

Pokemon Go, the free online game for smartphones, has people using their smartphones to capture "Pokemon" and play with them. The online app was released for iOS and Android devices by Nintendo on July 6.

The game has been amazingly popular, attracting as many as 300 people to Bronson Park during afternoons and weeknights to try to add new little Pokemon (a shortened version of "pocket monsters") to their personal team of characters. The game inspires people to go outside and visit public spaces to find the cartoon-like, animated Pokemon.

The characters appear on players' screens, but in a mapped-out representation of the setting where they are standing.

In a Thursday posting on Facebook, C.J. Drenth, gardener/educator for Kalamazoo in Bloom, stated that power to electric outlets at the park's stage area were shut off Thursday. That was done to stop Pokemon Go players from trampling flower beds there as they tried to recharge their phones while at the park.

Attempts to contact Drenth and Ryan Johnson, parks manager for the city of Kalamazoo, were not successful Friday.

Of Pokemon Go, Trahe said, "We don't dislike the Pokemon Go thing. It's just a handful of people spoiling it for the rest."

She said they like that it gets people to visit great park areas.

"It's great. Just pay attention,"She said. "If you see something that probably shouldn't be happening, say something. Do something."

A July 9 posting on Kalamazoo in Bloom's Facebook site pleaded the group's case: "If you're having fun playing Pokemon Go Kalamazoo and going to various sites to capture more Pokemon, remember to keep it virtual. We learned that yesterday players actually stepped through the flowers and climbed Mike the Peacock in Bronson Park for a photo opp. He's damaged a bit but we hope he'll bounce back. Keep it cool y'all and be respectful."

MLive writer Al Jones may be contacted at ajones5@mlive.com. Follow me on Twitter at ajones5_al.