PESHAWAR, Feb 23: The NWFP Wildlife Department has auctioned four permits for hunting of Markhor, a wild goat with long horns found in mountains, under the trophy hunting programme at the rate of $33,000 per animal.

All the four permits have been obtained by foreign hunters from Europe and the US through an outfitter, Nature and Culture Tours Company, informed Wildlife Chief Conservator Dr Mumtaz Malik. The hunters would soon arrive in Pakistan and start hunting in March, he added.

The trophy hunting programme, he said, has been launched in the country with the permission of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) for protection of endangered animals through involvement of communities.

Under the programme, he continued, communities were involved in conservation of wildlife and the revenue generated through sale of permits were mostly spent on development of the respective communities.

"This year the revenue through trophy hunting is much enough against last's year due to increase in quota of Markhor hunting for Pakistan by the CITES, the chief conservator said.

In the last conference of the CITES held in Chile (South America) in Nov 2002, quota for Markhor hunting for Pakistan was doubled from six to 12, he added.

About the break-up of hunting quota, he said four were allowed to NWFP, five to Balochistan and three to Northern Areas. He said that in the NWFP hunters have shown interest in hunting of Markhor. The ibex hunters prefer hunting in Northern Areas.

About the last year's earning, he said the department received $90,500 through the sale of three permits. The trophy hunting, he said, would be permissible only in community game reserves in Chitral and Kohistan districts.

For provision of special security to foreign hunters, if sought, would be provided on additional charges. Mr Malik said the trophy hunting was an attractive incentive for involvement of communities in conservation of wildlife. Once the Markhor was endangered specie in Pakistan, but at present the country has the largest population of the rare animal, he added. -APP