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KP Wildlife Deptt Applies For Doubling Of Markhor Hunting Permits From Existing Four To Eight
Sadia Abbas (@SadiaAbbas25) 24 hours ago Thu 22nd March 2018 | 05:28 PM

KP Wildlife deptt applies for doubling of Markhor hunting permits from existing four to eight

The Wildlife Department of Khyber Pakhtunkwa has applied for doubling permits of Markhor Trophy Hunting scheme from existing four to eight animals per year, a step reflecting success in conservation of the wild goat with unique spiral long horns.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2018 ):The Wildlife Department of Khyber Pakhtunkwa has applied for doubling permits of Markhor Trophy Hunting scheme from existing four to eight animals per year, a step reflecting success in conservation of the wild goat with unique spiral long horns.

"Once an endangered specie in Pakistan, now the country has largest population of the wild specie because of successful conservation through Trophy Hunting scheme". "We have approached federal government for presenting our case regarding increasing of hunting quota in the upcoming meeting of Council of Parties (COP) of CITIES (Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species)," disclosed Safdar Ali Shah, Chief Conservator Wildlife Department KP.

Talking to APP, Safdar Ali Shah said the meeting of COP of CITIES is held after four years and when it be held now, our case would be presented. Safdar said KP has now sufficient pollution of Markhor and during a recent survey in Chitral Gol National Park, the number of animals were found to be around 4300 which is a good sign.

If permission is granted, KP Wildlife department will auction eight permits for hunt of Kashmiri Markhor in the hilly terrain of Chiltral and Kohistan districts, he added. Trophy Hunting Scheme, Safdar added, has shown fruits in conservation of the Markhor, a rare goat, which was brought back from the brink of extinction and has been re-inhabited in its natural habitat.

The scheme has also benefited local communities who get 80 percent of share through sale of permit for hunting of animal in their respective conservancy. The amount earned through sale of permits to foreign hunters are spent on launching of several developmental schemes in remote Chitral valley.

Giving a back ground of Trophy Hunting scheme, Niaz Muhammad, DFO Wildlife Extension, informed APP that the idea was conceived from a private conservation initiative, Torkham Conservation Project, which was launched in 1984.

The initiative was aimed at protection of Markhor and Urial in Torghar hills of Baluchistan. The local leaders supported the creation of Torghar Conservation Plan which instituted complete ban on hunting and hiring of local people as game guards.

Based on the early success of Torghar Conservation Programme in regulating nomadic hunting, the first trophy hunt for markhor was sanctioned by tribal and provincial authorities in 1989. The hunting of one or two Markhor was allowed annually till late 1990s since when the quote was increased to four Markhor per year.

Under the scheme, hunting is restricted to only old animal identified by the game guard. Earlier, KP Wildlife department was allowed to sale two permits for hunting of Kashmiri Markhor. However, in 2002, the COP of CITIES increased the permit of the province from two to four.

The case for increasing the permits was pleaded by former Chief Conservator of Wildlife Department, Dr. Mumtaz Malik. Revenue from this program has funded local game wardens, construction and maintenance of wells, irrigation channels, schools and other community infrastructure, and medical and veterinary supplies to the local communities.

In the year 2017, Niaz added, the KP Wildlife department has sold four permits on foreign hunters at an aggregate amount of US dollar 315,000. Among these hunters, three have successfully hunted animals in Ghairat and Toshi Shah Shah game reserves of Chitral district.

Cheques for distribution of 80 percent share of communities will be given to representatives after completion of the fourth hunt in Kohistan district of the province.