The real prize in trophy hunting
THE majestic beast of the mountains is an absolute sight to behold. Markhor — the ruggedly built mountain goat which gets its absolute beauty and charm from its distinctive horns, is an enigma of the mountainous terrains of Karakoram and the Himalayas.
For centuries, this magnificent creature has been defying gravity as it reigns over the most perilous of peaks.
With its legendary twisted horns which can grow up to 5 feet in length, it is an absolute miracle that Pakistan is home to the most unique and spellbinding kind of the goat family.
While it is absolutely impossible for a person to enjoy these gentle beasts in their natural habitat, many every year are left shocked to see trophy hunters beaming with pride as they pose alongside the heads of these exotic creatures, for which they pay a hefty fee to be able to hunt them down in their natural surroundings. But this isn’t something new. It has been a practice legalized a very long time ago.
Pakistan has been involved in trophy hunting for years. It began in 1989 when Syed Yahya Shah Al-Hussaini pointed out the need for adapting measures that ensure the conservation of the animal as well as providing livelihood to the surrounding villages.
Urging for a special government dispensation, he pointed out how commercial trophy hunting needs to be normalized as it provides ample opportunity when considering community development.
That was then and looking at how times have quickly adapted and embraced this act of conservation, this season served as a major milestone for our country, allowing Pakistan to fetch a record-high revenue through markhor hunting.
The bidding process has gone through considerable screening as the highest bid to be offered came to around $160,250.
The trophy hunting campaign usually runs from November1 till March31 and besides the most majestic of gentle beasts, it also consists of pumped and eager hunters eyeing the Himalayan ibex and the blue sheep.
Recent images of American hunter James Kevin posing with his trophy win of an aged markhor with spellbinding horns, received global criticism.
Many were quick to point out that this practice pulls on the strings of being able to preserve the population of the markhor but where is that money actually going? There have been plenty of debates which question the morality standards that are adapted when it comes to such inhumane programmes.
Many animal welfare societies through the years have also shared reports and statistics suggesting how the management model for conservation is always considerably faulty, which means that there are no control measures in place to ensure its proper implementation.
However it was in 1991, when WWF-Pakistan put into force a proper and well-planned community-based trophy hunting campaign.
And looking at how the markhor population has been steadily increasing- from 275 in 1993 to around 4000 in 2021, it seems that this campaign is attaining its goals despite being unpopular in mainstream media. Under this programme, the local communities get around 80% of the license fee and the remaining goes to the government.
The money is distributed among the villages in proximity to the hunting region. It is well utilized for funding basic amenities including the establishment of community schools and proper road construction; health centres are created to ensure complete medical checkups as well as adapting welfare and community projects including handicraft centres for women.
Locals in regions like Chitral, Kalash and Hunza have appreciated the programme as a major boost to their livelihood.
And well-reputed organizations like the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) point out how such controlled trophy hunting campaigns allow for the effective management and control of excessive and illegal hunting as well as poaching loss of habitat the markhors were earlier being subjected to.
Locals would themselves be hunting them down in excess and this was leading the markhor population to the brink of extinction. Without a license, the hunting of markhors and other mountainous goats is now considered a major crime in Pakistan. A massive fine and punishment adheres this wild game as an economic asset, met by quality controls of the highest standards.
While the savagery of images of hunters with their prized trophies will continue to attract sorrow and indignation from social media till March this year, the fact of the matter is the rise in the population of markhors over the years paints a different picture, ensuring the biodiversity of Pakistan is the main win after all.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
