CHITRAL: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has issued six new permits for trophy hunting of Markhor, with bids fetching record amounts in various conservancies of Lower Chitral.
Officials said that the exportable trophy hunting permits for Toshi-1 and Toshi-2 were granted for Rs69.7 million and Rs68.9 million, respectively.
In the buffer zone of Chitral Gol Conservancy’s Moren Gol National Park, they said, one Markhor permit was auctioned for Rs68.3 million.
Last year, a permit in Gahiret Conservancy’s Gahiret Gol was sold for Rs52.8 million. However, due to limited hunter interest in Gaherat this season, and greater interest in Chitral Gol, the latter secured the higher bids. For non-exportable trophy hunts, permits were auctioned at Rs 31.1 million for Krinj Shasha, Rs34 million) for Singore Dok and Rs22.1 million for Rambur.
The officials said that 80 percent of the revenue from trophy hunting was directed toward local communities for welfare and development projects, as well as for the protection of wildlife in the region.
Each year, under the regulated trophy hunting programme, limited permits are auctioned to hunters.
Meanwhile, some local elders voiced opposition to the programme, criticising the killing of markhors in the name of trophy hunting. They argued that communities have not seen significant improvements in their lives despite the revenue claims. They also warned that hunting was disturbing the ecological balance in the mountains.
“The Wildlife Department officials must take responsibility for protecting the endangered species instead of killing them,” said one of the elders.
