American man hunts Markhor in Chitral after paying US$92,000

[Yankee-stani]

A hunter from USA, who had arrived in Pakistan through a helicopter for hunting Markhor in the limits of Toshi Village Conservation Committee (VCC) in Chitral district, has been able to hunt a 44-inch trophy.

Christopher from USA has paid an amount of US$92,000 to hunt Markhor (Capra Falconeri) – Pakistan’s national animal – and Rs10,000 for shooting license.

Another hunter from Switzerland, Stacky has paid Rs145,000 to hunt an Ibex and Rs10,000 for the shooting license.

These hunting expeditions are monitored by village representatives, as well as government officials to ensure that laws are not broken.

Annually four hunting trophy licenses are being issued for Markhor hunting and 80% of total cost are being distributing among local community and 20 % being depositing in public exchequer, according to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Wildlife Muhammad Hussain.

There is no permission for legal hunting in Chitral Goal National Park. But social and political circle of Chitral have demanded of the government for allowing hunting trophy license in buffer areas of Chitral goal national park because the aged and ailing Markhors are already dying without any hunting or benefiting local communities.

As well as some criminal people are also involved in illegal hunting of Markhors at these prohibited areas as recently one Markhor was hunted by Islam Baig illegally.

The wildlife officer said that if the government allows legal hunting in buffer areas in surrounding of Chitral goal national park for hunting of aged, ailing and weak Markhors who are already dying, it will be best both for public and government.

Residents of these buffer areas will be benefitted from hunting trophy and they will feel ownership of these species and will protect them from illegal hunting, Hussain stressed.


Markhor is protected by local and international laws such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).

In a Feb 2018 brief to a parliamentary committee, the Ministry of Climate Change said that the trophy hunting of markhor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Azad Kashmir was a success story in Pakistan, as local communities conserve the animal and international hunters pay large sums for obtaining shooting licences.

Up to 80 per cent of the money generated from issuing markhor hunting permits is shared with the local community, which works to prevent illegal hunting of the animal.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department in Oct 2018 auctioned hunting permits for 18 rare species under the trophy hunting programme 2018 and 2019. The licences for trophy hunting included four Astore markhor, 14 blue sheep and 95 ibex.






0:00/0:00

Skip in 5

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Wild life in Pakistan is already struggling not a correct move in my opinion unless the animal population is in 1000% above safe levels

 

[Clutch]

I don't agree with this. There should not be a $$$ tag on the lives of Pakistan's endangered animals species.

I do agree with free hunting license for foreigners to hunt corrupt Pakistani politicians.

 

[Reichsmarschall]

locals should kill these bastards they are not welcome in Pakistan

 

[Syed1.]

Everything is for sale in Pakistan. Can somebody issue hunting license for @Champion_Usmani

 

[danger007]

Don't allow this pleasure hunting games... for the sake of dollars... let them die naturally. ..

 

[Areesh]

Nothing wrong in this if it is done in controlled manner

I support this

 

[Type59]

People don't realise, if no trophy hunting, locals will most likely hunt them to extinction. There is an incentive to protect them since 80% goes to local community. And it importantly has allowed population of these animals to increase.

 

[313ghazi]

I want to issue licences for the people who approve this.

 

[krash]

Every single time this hunting program is mentioned I have to clarify exactly how this program is actually very good for the animals.


Despite not being a fan of killing animals for sport, I'm actually a pretty big admirer of this program but not merely because of the licensing fees paid to the locals. The foreigners were never the ones who hunted these animals close to extinction, it was the local poachers. Now those very locals receive a season's worth of income from a single one of these licensed hunts. These licensed hunters hire jeeps, guides, porters, lodging and buy supplies from these locals which brings direct income to the whole community. The locals later realised that if the animals' populations were not kept at healthy levels the government would stop issuing these licenses which would stop this vital source of income for them. And the poaching suddenly stopped. The program turned those former poachers into today's conservationists which has resulted in an unprecedented increase in these animals' numbers. The locals are the ones who make sure the right animals are hunted and that illegal poaching does not happen. This has been the real benefit of this program. Ironically, no one had a clue of this happening when the program was first devised, it was only realised later. It has been so successful that since then countries all over the world have emulated it for their own endangered species.

This program was originally devised by a British conservationist working in the Chiltan National Park in Balochistan. He had tried every thing but he could not stop the nomadic tribes crossing through the region from poaching the Markhor for meat and pelts. They had been doing it for hundreds of years, they didn't care what anyone said. Later, when the conservation efforts were hit with budget cuts he came up with this program; part of the licensing fees were to be paid towards the conservation efforts while the rest were to be paid to the locals. It was only a few years later when he realised the true genius of the program he had devised.

 

[KediKesenFare3]

Incredible, majestic animals. First animal I think of in the context of Pakistan.


Perhaps the most agile of all goats, the markhor is perfectly adapted to life on these sheer slopes. They are so sure-footed they can even climb trees.

WOW!

How beautiful they are.

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Most of this money goes back to funding the conservation efforts for these animals, so it is a smart move.

 

[Yaseen1]

In u.s if he does same he would face severe cases and proceedings but in Pakistan we are ready to sale every thing for few dollars

 

[mingle]

Read many yrs back Robert Deniro visited Northern Area? True or false

 

[Arsalan 345]

i think everyone deserves to live.i would hang them if this can happen under my government.it's illegal and more than that,this is inhuman.i don't support any killings specially animals.this is barbaric and anyone who supports this is either an animal or some kind of butcher.whatever i hate this.