German Hunter Takes Season’s First Blue Sheep Trophy

Thomas R. Lemmerholz, a German citizen, bagged the season’s first blue sheep with horns measuring 29 inches at Shimshal Community Control Hunting Area (CCHA) in Gojal, Hunza.

According to Gilgit Baltistan (GB) wildlife department, the hunter paid $22,000 to the department for the permit.

The department auctioned permits for 119 of the rarest species under the trophy hunting program 2022-23, with the hunting of the endangered Astor Markhor receiving the highest license cost in trophy hunting ever, $100,000.

Five Astor Markhor hunting permits were auctioned off for $100,000, 14 blue sheep for $8,500, and 100 ibex for $3,600.

A large number of national and foreign hunters acquired the permits for this season with the region’s hunting season set to run from November 2022 to April 2023.

The trophy hunting quota, according to authorities, was established based on yearly surveys undertaken by wildlife specialists. 80 percent of the money raised by the trophy hunting program is distributed to local communities for use in education, health, and other development programs, while the remaining 20 percent goes to the national treasury.

Because of its diverse climatic conditions and habitat, GB is home to numerous unique animals, including the Marco Polo sheep, ibex, markhor, urial, blue sheep, lynx, snow leopard, leopard cat, brown and black bears, wolf, fox, marmot, chakor, ram chakor, and golden eagle.

However, several of these rare and endangered species are suffering extinction as a result of illegal hunting, wildlife department’s negligence, and climate change issues.