Islamabad : Federal Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan asked the provincial authorities to put up reports on the ‘markhor’ population in their respective regions to the ministry to seek higher trophy hunting quota for the screw-horn wild goat, the national animal of Pakistan, from the Conference of Parties' Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora.
During a meeting of the CITES Management Authority here, he also said the ministry had no objection to the captive breeding of parrots if it was done in strict compliance with the relevant laws.
Trophy hunting is the selective hunting of wild game for human recreation with the trophy being the animal or part of the animal kept and usually displayed to represent the success of the hunt.
The Punjab wildlife department's representative told participants that population of ‘Urial’ in the province's Salt Range had increased from 2,500 to 3,000 creating a justification for a local trophy hunting.
Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly Raheela Durrani, who was also present in the meeting, said the Pakistan army had formed a range in Balochistan and thus, helping protect the local ‘markhor’ population.
She suggested the holding of training sessions for the local wildlife officials.
The minister approved the suggestion.
The Sindh wildlife department's representative said the department had started process of certification of parrot breeders in the province, while the Punjab's delegate said the department issued trading licences to such breeders, who were now under tax net.
The representative of Khyber-Pukhtunkhawa said the population of ‘markhor’ in Chitral district had increased from 1,944 to 2,057 and thus, increasing the number of animals fit for trophy hunting from 214 to 251.
He said survey on the ‘markhor’ population was under way in other places of the province.
The representatives of Balochistan wildlife department complained about lack of resources.
He said population of ‘markhor’ in Targhur area was between 2,200 and 3000.
The inspector general (forest) said the European Union had put the condition of certification for the export of any product made from ‘sheesham’ and therefore, it was decided to nominate focal persons from the forest department to handle issues on flora export and certification.
The meeting was told that the three-year tenure of private members of the CITES Management Authority had ended and therefore, new members would be selected.
Later, the Houbara Bustard and Migratory Birds Endowment Fund's first meeting was held.
With the minister in the chair, the participants decided about the accounting procedures for the fund. They also authorised the minister to nominate two private members for the fund.