Markhor hunting permits sold for US$136,000 in Gilgit Baltistan

Markhor hunting license sold for a historic price of US$136,000

 

Gilgit-Baltistan Department of Forests and Wildlife has sold the hunting license for the rare wild animal Astor Markhor under the trophy hunting policy at a historic price of US$136,000

Residents of America, France and European countries get licenses from domestic companies to hunt Astor Markhor in Gilgit-Baltistan.

In the last 2 years, the Astor Markhor license has been sold at the most expensive price in history. Earlier, the license of Astor Markhor was auctioned for 100,000 to 120,000 US dollars, However, the people have received an extraordinary financial benefit due to the rapid increase in the value of the dollar this year.

The annual auction of licenses for hunting wild animals in the regional office of the Department of Forests and Wildlife was held under the supervision of Secretary Forest and Wildlife Faisal Ahsan Pirzada. In which local and foreign outfitters participated in the auction of trophy hunting licenses for hunting wild animals.

The auction marked the highest bid in the history of Gilgit-Baltistan for hunting licenses for Astor Markhor and the outfitter company Mehran Safari has got the license to hunt the Astor Markhor in Kargah Gilgit Conservation Area by bidding US$136,000 (Which is 3 crore 71 lakh 86 thousand rupees according to Pakistani currency)

Last year, outdoor outfitter Adventure Center won the license to hunt the Astor Markhor by paying the highest bid of US$136,000.

The most expensive license issued for annual wild animal hunting is sold by Astor Markhor, this time the license has been acquired by a company called Mehran Safari.

The Dawn Newspaper reported that the trophy hunting season starts in November and ends in April.

Foreign, national and local hunters hunt trophies in protected areas of Gilgit-Baltistan after obtaining licenses.

The trophy hunting program was started in the 80s which is under the International Convention on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and is allowed only in certain areas of Gilgit-Baltistan.

85% of the revenue earned from hunting wild animals is given to the community adjacent to the hunting site while 15% is deposited in the national treasury.

The money is spent on health, education and other social projects under an agreement to help local people protect animals and stop poaching.