Gilgit-Baltistan Increases Markhor Trophy Hunting Permit Fee to $200,000

The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Wildlife and Parks Department is set to auction 118 trophy hunting permits for the 2025–26 season, including four for the prized Astore markhor, 100 for Himalayan ibex, and 14 for blue sheep.

The auction will take place today (Wednesday) at the Forest, Parks and Wildlife Complex in Gilgit.

For this season, the base price of an Astore markhor permit has been increased to $200,000, while blue sheep and Himalayan ibex permits are priced at $30,000 and $10,000, respectively.

Last year, the minimum fees stood at $150,000, $9,000, and $5,500.

Despite 118 permits being offered in the 2024–25 season, only 60 were purchased, with the highest bid for a markhor reaching $161,000.

Outfitters and tour operators argue that steep fee hikes are discouraging international hunters, threatening both local businesses and communities that depend on trophy hunting income.

Syed Sumsam Ali Bokhari, chairman of Safari Club International Pakistan Chapter, noted that Pakistan’s rising costs make it less competitive than regional rivals. In Tajikistan, a markhor hunt costs about $160,000, while ibex hunts in Central Asia average below $10,000.

Launched in 1990, GB’s community-based trophy hunting program allocates nearly 80 percent of revenues to conservation and development, but stakeholders warn unchecked price hikes could undermine its future.