https://propakistani.pk/2024/1...f-markhor-in-gilgit/



Two Men Jailed for Illegal Hunting of Markhor in Gilgit

By Rija Sohaib | Published Dec 26, 2024 | 4:57 pm


A wildlife magistrate court in Gilgit has sentenced two men to two years in prison and fined them Rs300,000 each for the illegal hunting of an Astore markhor, a rare and endangered wild goat species native to the region.



The Forest, Parks, Wildlife, and Environment Department of Gilgit-Baltistan apprehended Malik Shah and Mansoor Khan, residents of the Barms area, during a coordinated operation in Barms Nullah. Acting on a tip-off, the department, with assistance from Frontier Constabulary personnel, seized nine kilograms of markhor meat, a 7mm rifle, six live cartridges, and a pair of binoculars from the suspects.



The offenders were presented before the Wildlife Magistrate/Divisional Forest Officer for a summary trial. During the proceedings, they confessed to the crime. Based on their admission and the evidence, the court convicted them under the Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Act and Forest Act.


The court further ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional one-year imprisonment for each convict. To prevent wastage, the confiscated meat was ordered to be auctioned immediately.


Hunting of protected species, including the Astore markhor, is strictly prohibited except through regulated trophy hunting programs designed to support conservation. Initiated in the 1980s under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), these programs are conducted annually by the Forest, Parks, and Wildlife Department of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Trophy hunting permits are allocated to designated Community-Controlled Hunting Areas (CCHAs), with local communities receiving 80% of the fees and the government utilizing the remaining 20% for forest preservation and biodiversity conservation.


For the 2024–25 season, 118 permits have been issued, including four for Astore Markhor, 14 for blue sheep, and 100 for Himalayan ibex. Of these, permits for four Astore markhor, 12 blue sheep, and 86 Himalayan ibex have already been sold.

These measures aim to balance sustainable hunting practices with the preservation of endangered species, ensuring ecological stability and community support.