Third markhor hunted in Chitral under Trophy Hunting programme

PESHAWAR: An American hunter, Robertson Neil Hall, has hunted down a markhor in Gahirat Gol game reserve in district Chitral, registering the third hunt of the current season as part of Trophy Hunting after paying $125,000 (Rs34.875 million).

The eight-year-old wild male goat had long spiraling horns of around 38 inches and was hunted in Gahirat Gol game reserve.

Under the Trophy Hunting programme, four permits are sold annually through auction for hunting of markhors — three in Chitral and one in Kohistan district, the official news agency reported.

Earlier, two other hunts of markhor had been carried out by foreign hunters in Chitral during the current season as part of the Trophy Hunting programme, launched with the objective of conservation of these rare wild goats.

Talking to the official news agency, Divisional Forest Officer Wildlife Farooq Nabi informed that the annual revenue through sale of Markhor Trophy Hunting was witnessing increase with each passing year.

The first time when the scheme was launched in 1990 the hunting permits were sold at a price of $15,000 and gradually the amount increased as foreign hunters kept on coming to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“Once markhor was a critically endangered wild species in Pakistan, but due to proper conservation efforts based on monetary gains through sale of hunting permits to foreign hunters, the country now has the largest population of the animal,” he said.

Under the scheme a sense of ownership is being inculcated among communities as 80 percent of revenue generated is spent on development schemes in respective areas of hunting through mutual understanding of local elders. Twenty percent of the revenue generated goes into national kitty.

Gahirat Conservancy Chitral President Faizur Rehman when contacted said that people of the area are very happy over the launching of the Trophy Hunting programme.

Through this programme, communities are benefiting in all fields including health, education, and social sector.

“The amount we receive as our share from the Trophy Hunting programme is being spent on awarding scholarships to brilliant student. Funds are raised for providing healthcare to those ailing persons who cannot afford it,” he added.

“People are now becoming aware of the benefits of the conservation scheme and extend care to wild species and foreign hunters which is a key behind successful protection of markhor and other wild species in the area,” Faizur Rehman said.

Farooq Nabi said Chitral Gol National Park is a habitat of around 3,000 markhors, among which some have become older which are hunted by stray dogs and other predators.

If permission is granted for hunting through creation of a buffer zone in the Chitral Gol National Park, more hunters will come and local community will benefit from more earning through the Trophy Hunting programme, he suggested.