http://www.huntingreport.com/c...ion_force.cfm?id=393



FWS Issues First Tajik Markhor Permit, Recognizing Conservation Benefits of Tajikistan’s Community Conservancy Program

Written By John J. Jackson III, Conservation Force Chairman & President

(posted February 2016)

At the end of 2015, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued the first import permit for a flare-horned markhor hunting trophy from Tajikistan. This permit is important - it will encourage a community conservancy program that has the potential to develop as well as the internationally recognized markhor conservation hunting program in nearby Pakistan.

The flare-horned markhor is listed on Appendix I of CITES but is not listed under the ESA. Only a CITES permit is required for import into the US. To issue an import permit, the FWS' Division of Scientific Authority (DSA) must conclude that the import is for "purposes that are not detrimental to the survival" of the markhor. To make this finding, DSA considers biological and management information showing that the offtake "represents sustainable use," as well as information showing the offtake will not increase the species' risk of extinction (among other things).

In finding that the import of the markhor was not detrimental to the survival of the species, the DSA concluded that Tajikistan has a "functional markhor management system" with a scientifically-based quota, regular monitoring, and "strong incentives" for local people to protect the species and its habitat. The DSA noted the habitat actively managed for markhor has "almost tripled" since 2008, and "substantial financial resources are now available for markhor conservation."

Conservation Force submitted the first U.S. import permit application for a markhor from Tajikistan along with evidence demonstrating the hunting is sustainable, the hunting presents no net harm to the markhor's status, and the hunting benefits the markhor by incentivizing local communities to preserve habitat and protect the markhor against poaching.

The markhor's range in Tajikistan falls along the Afghanistan border. It includes a national reserve where no use is allowed and a national reserve allowing some regulated use. But both reserves have been beset by poachers, especially Afghanis crossing the border to illegally hunt for skins and meat. However, the growth of conservancies in the area has created a buffer around the reserves and improved the antipoaching and policing within them. Conservancies now surround the reserves and expand the protected habitat available for markhor and other species. Almost the entire markhor range in Tajikistan is now protected.

A former poacher is said to have begun Tajikistan's conservancy program after being convinced by a tourist hunter that conservation would be more profitable than poaching. This led to the indigenous development of conservancies by family groups and non-profits. There are now seven conservancy areas, four focusing on markhor. The conservancies receive wildlife management authority through contracts with Tajikistan's government.

The conservancies involve local people in wildlife protection and management. Markhor were historically overhunted during the Soviet era, and have been poached since then. Now, they are protected by a community-wide commitment to anti-poaching. Ranger patrols and intelligence-sharing are paid for with tourist hunting revenues. These efforts have worked. Since the first conservancy was established, Tajikistan's markhor population has steadily increased. In 2009, it was estimated at somewhere between 350- 700 animals. In 2012, a survey observed approximately 1,000 markhor, which grew to approximately 1,300 in a repeat survey in 2014. Most markhor were observed in the conservancies, and their increase was circumstantially confirmed by population growth of the markhor's apex predator, the snow leopard. In 2015, the IUCN Red List assessment for markhor was changed. They were reclassified from Endangered down to Near Threatened.

Tourist hunting generates significant revenue for wildlife protection and recovery and community development. The government license fee for markhor is $41,000. Sixty percent of that fee is directed by law back to conservation in the area where the markhor was taken, 20% is directed to conservation in the region, and 20% goes to a national conservation fund. This is significant money in a country where the average monthly wage is approximately $170.

The conservancies keep the difference between the hunt price and license fee, minus expenses, and reinvest it in their operations, anti-poaching, and village infrastructure building. Funds from markhor hunting were used to rehabilitate a village water supply, build sporting facilities, and purchase medicine for a clinic. In addition, the conservancies create some ranger and camp jobs in a poor area without a lot of other options. The benefits to people spill over to the markhor, as evident by its population growth.

In 2014, the "project" which coordinates the conservancies received the CIC's Markhor Award, in recognition of the program's community engagement and conservation successes. Namibia's Minister of Environment and Tourism presented the award because Namibia's community conservancy program was the prior recipient. Gerhard Damm of Conservation Force Board and President of CIC's Scientific Division initiated our project in Tajikistan, Tajikistan Markhor Initiative.

The positive impacts of hunting have also caused political change in Tajikistan. On June 24, 2015, Parliament ratified the country's accession to CITES, and the accession paperwork is almost (if not already) complete. That is a step forward, and perhaps will pave the way for a future markhor resolution like the CITES resolution authorizing exports of markhor trophies from Pakistan.

Conservation hunting of markhor in Tajikistan is relatively unknown but it is a strong example of what hunting can do. The local people's interest in attracting tourist hunters essentially saved the species. The markhor were declining, and now they are recovering. Endangered snow leopard and other highly vulnerable species like the urial also benefit from protected habitat and anti-poaching. There are no other options for wildlife here, no phototourism. So without the community's dedication to wildlife, it could (and likely would) disappear. This is one more conservation success in the hunting world's long track record.