A Spanish hunter, Cristian Pablo Abilo Gamezo, hunted a Kashmiri Markhor in Gahiret Gol, Lower Chitral under the guidance of District Forest Officer (DFO) Wildlife, Farooq Nabi, and with the cooperation of the Gahiret Conservatory Committee.
According to the Wildlife Department of Lower Chitral, the trophy hunt took place within the Gahiret Conservatory Committee’s jurisdiction. The hunter obtained a permit by paying $219,000, equivalent to approximately PKR 61.25 million.
The Markhor, a nine-year-old with horns measuring 41.5 inches, was specifically selected for the hunt. 80% of the proceeds from such hunts are directed toward local community development initiatives, while the remaining 20% is deposited into the national treasury.
In December, an American hunter made history in Chitral by paying PKR 75.5 million for a permit to hunt a Markhor in the Toshi Shasha Conservancy, the highest fee ever recorded in the region.
Trophy hunting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is carefully regulated to protect the endangered Markhor species while providing economic benefits to local communities. Recognized as Pakistan’s national animal, Markhor is celebrated for its striking spiraled horns and primarily inhabits Chitral and Kohistan’s rugged mountain ranges.
