American hunter pays a record Rs7.5 crore to hunt Markhor in Pakistan.
An American hunter has shocked everyone by paying a record 750 million to hunt Pakistani Markhor in Chitral, in what is said to be the first trophy hunt of 2024.
Ronald Joe Whitton got a hunting permit from KP Wildlife Department at the staggering cost of $271,000.
He used an automatic rifle at close range, and local community and wildlife members assisted the ageing man in locating Markhor due to the conservancy’s proximity to the road.
Also read: Astor Markhor hunting permit auctioned for $186,000
The next trophy hunt has been scheduled with the same price, and a third is planned for March at a lesser cost.
80% of the hunting permit fee is allocated to the local community for conservation efforts.
The auction for hunting season started in October this year, when two Markhor hunting permits were sold for a total of $271,000, setting another milestone.
Pakistan supports wildlife protection and raises awareness about the conservation of the Markhor, its national animal.
Also read: American hunts Markhor for Rs 20million
The Markhor, vital to the ecosystem, has seen a population increase in Pakistan due to successful conservation efforts, despite global population declines.
Threats like habitat loss, illegal hunting, and climate change continue to endanger the species.
Hunting regulations in Pakistan allocate 80% of permit fees to local communities, supporting sustainable conservation efforts.
The markhor is a large wild Capra species native to South Asia and Central Asia, mainly within Pakistan, the Karakoram range, parts of Afghanistan, and the Himalayas.
It is listed on the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened since 2015.
