An Octogenarian American hunter, Ronald Geo Whinton, hunted the first Kashmir markhor of the season in Chitral. What made the hunt stand out was the bid offered by Whinton, a whopping $271,000.
Farooq Nabi, the Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), reported that Whinton was given the permit to hunt the endangered animal after he won it in an open auction held in October. This permit allowed him to hunt the Kashmir markhor under the supervision of the wildlife authorities on Sunday.
The markhor that was hunted was 11 years old and its horn measured around 49.5 inches.
Trophy Hunting Programme
The Trophy Hunting Programme was introduced in the 1990s and allocates 80% of the income generated to the local community, thus supporting both conservation and local development. It attracts hunters from all over the world to Pakistan and boosts the local economy.
In the following days, another trophy hunting will be carried out in the same conservancy at the same price. The third, however, will be carried out in March of 2025 but at a much lower price or $231,000, shared Nabi.
Read More: Saving a Dying World – World Wildlife Conservation Day 2024
Killing Endangered Animals
Markhor is Pakistan’s national animal and it typically lives in altitudes of 8000 to 1000 feet. However, during the winter season, due to extreme cold, the animal descends to lower altitudes. That’s when the hunting season takes begins.
Despite the fame of the Trophy Hunting Programme, it has been criticised globally ever since the number of permits has been increased from 6 to 12 annually. Critics argue that it promotes the killing of rare animals for sport. This is countered with the argument that legal practices reduce illegal hunting and empower local communities.
An Economic Asset
The $271,000 permit garneted to Whinton is not just a notable achievement for the hunter but also for locals. Ever since its introduction, the Trophy Hunting Programme has had a positive impact on the participating communities. Every villager gets a share of the money raised through the porgramme and most importantly, villagers no longer hunt animals themselves illegally as they used to in the past.
The programme continues to draw significant attention worldwide. While the debate about killing endangered animals remains, it might be a step towards balancing the economy and reducing illegal hunting.
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