CHITRAL – American trophy hunter paid $125,000 (Rs349 million) to kill a Kashmiri markhor – the national animal of Pakistan.
Number of these wild goats in Asian nation increased for several years, and trophy hunting program helped push up their population.
On February 18, 2024, Robert Myles Hall hunted Markhor near Gahirat-Golen community game reserve during the third trophy hunting of this season, Wildlife Department official said.
He said the hunted animal was eight years old and its horn size was recorded around 38 inches.
The 2024 season kicked off with the hunting of a 9.5-year-old Markhor in Lower Chitral in December last year. Local representatives, as well as wildlife officials, monitored the hunting expedition to make sure that laws were not broken.
Annually two hunting trophy licenses are issued for Markhor hunting and 80pc of total cost is distributed among local community and 20pc is deposited in national kitty. Under the trophy hunting programme, only old and male markhors are shot. Such animals can be identified from their horns, gait and body structure. This programme is now cited as a huge success in biodiversity preservation in Pakistan.
Markhor is protected by local and international laws such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/14-Jan-2022/foreigners-hunt-two-highest-rated-markhors-in-pakistan-s-astore-region
