Transforming trophy hunting in G-B and Chitral

Moving towards sustainability of wildlife conservation using innovative approaches

ISLAMABAD:

Trophy hunting is the practice of hunting wild animals for sport, not for food. It involves hunters paying high fees to target popular species such as Markhor, Himalayan Ibex, Blue sheep, Ladakh Urial, and many more popular species of ungulates.

The hunting season for Markhor, Ibex, and Blue Sheep typically continues from November 1st till April 31st. December and January are most suitable months for trophy hunting of Markhor and Ibex in the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B). However, it is important to note that these species fall in the category of rare and endangered and are therefore regulated by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Pakistan, as part of CITES and its secretariat, allows trophy hunting quota for bidding every year based on reporting its compliance and undertaking regular inventory of the CITES listed species.

Number of hunting days in the hunting field are specified separately according to the type of permit available. Trophy hunting in G-B and Chitral in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has become iconic and a great source of earning for the rural communities. This great achievement can be credited to the G-B Forest, Parks and Wildlife department who modified the rigid rules allowing local communities as community watchers that made a difference.

Trophy hunting, initially introduced in Nagar in 1990, has emerged as a highly innovative and fund raising intervention for the local community as 80% of the net sale proceeds go to the community of the hunt area and 20% go to the G-B Forest, Parks and Wildlife department. This has greatly helped in resource mobilisation and ensures ownership of the local communities on these precious resources. Moreover, it has facilitated local development and income generation for community well being and earnings being a sustainable interventions.

Read: Locals upset with hunting bids’ income distribution

This year the G-B Forest, Parks, and Wildlife Department has auctioned four licences for hunting the prized Astore Markhor, each for a record price of $186,000. Permits have been issued to hunt 104 rare species including 4 Markhor, 14 blue sheep, and 86 Himalayan ibex in various community conservation areas across G-B were auctioned as part of the trophy hunting programme for 2023-24. Therefore, the trophy hunting programme has emerged as a circular biodiversity economy playing a major role in sustainable management of a rare species increasing its population and win-win for all stakeholders.

Both foreign and local hunters, along with outfitters, participated in the bidding process at the G-B Forests, Parks and Wildlife Department’s head office. The highest permit for Astore markhor was sold for $186,000, the second for $181,000, the third for $177,000, and the fourth for $171,000. The base rate fees for blue sheep and Himalayan ibex permits were $9,000 and $5,500, respectively. The trophy hunting programme adheres to the “G-B Trophy Hunting Guidelines 2019,” with the hunting season for ungulate species running from November 1, 2023, to April 25, 2024.

Over time trophy hunting has greatly changed the attitudes of local residents towards wildlife, fostering a positive attitude towards the wild ungulates and strongly negative attitude towards wild carnivores. These programmes incentivise local communities to conserve wildlife by providing them with direct financial benefits. This is because the revenue generated from hunting permits is invested back into the local community. Additionally, the programs help control the population of certain species through trophy size animal culling by trophy hunting, ensuring their long-term survival. In addition to providing funds for conservation, hunters play an important role in helping state wildlife biologists manage the size of certain animal populations, according to Nils Peterson, a professor of forestry and environmental resources at the College of Natural Resources. One crucial aspect of this programme is that 80% of the proceeds go to local communities, which utilise the funds for various development projects, including education and healthcare. The remaining 20% of the revenue is deposited into the government’s treasury. There are a total of 47 Community Managed Conservation Areas, which are managed by community organisations involving local communities in the management, conservation and protection of the wildlife. The system is working well in terms of distribution of the net revenue into forestry and community accounts and the latter is used for the welfare and development work in the conservancy.

Thus far, the Trophy Hunting programme has proved to be highly successful. Despite this, the policy and planners must review it and bring innovative changes in the existing programme aiming at sustainability of the Trophy Hunting programme. Researchers, academicians, policymakers and practitioners must join hands and figure out interventions that may pave way forward aiming at sustainability of the programme.

Activities like wildlife watching, winter sports involving the mating of such rare species, wildlife photography, video for TikTok etc, safari rides, water points watching, and such other sports and amusement shall also be introduced alongside trophy hunting. A consultative workshop and regular seminars should also be organised for awareness of the local community and discussing the way forward for sustainable management of the trophy hunting programme in Pakistan.

THE WRITER IS A CLIMATE CHANGE, FORESTRY, AND ENVIRONMENT EXPERT

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2024.

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