James Walker Crawford from the US successfully hunted a 10-year-old Kashmir Markhor in the buffer zone of Chitral Gol National Park under Pakistan’s newly introduced non-exportable trophy hunting scheme.
The markhor’s horns measured 41 inches, and Crawford secured a hunting permit from the Wildlife Department for $52,000 (Rs. 14.53 million). He had previously attempted the hunt but missed his shot.
The hunt was conducted with the assistance of the village conservation committee of Rumbur and officials from Chitral Gol National Park, led by Divisional Forest Officer Rizwanullah.
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Chairman of the Chitral Gol Community Development and Conservation Association, Saleemuddin, described the hunt as a significant milestone. He highlighted that community-led conservation efforts had led to an increase in the markhor population, making trophy hunting more sustainable.
He further urged the government to introduce exportable trophy hunting in the buffer zone next season, citing the growing number of eligible markhors.
The trophy hunting program allows a portion of the permit fees to be reinvested into conservation and community development efforts, benefiting local populations while supporting wildlife preservation.
