PESHAWAR, April 2: Markhor, a wild goat with long horns, was once considered an endangered species in Pakistan as it was on the verge of extinction. But now the country has a large number of markhors because of its successful conservation under the Trophy Hunting Programme.

“In the late 70s, the number of markhors, which is also the national animal of Pakistan, was around 400 to 500 in the country, but now they are in the thousands,” said Dr Mumtaz Malik, Chief Conservator Wildlife, NWFP.

Dr Malik, who planned and introduced the Trophy Hunting Programme in the NWFP, which was later replicated in other provinces, said that only in the NWFP the number of markhors had crossed the 2,000 mark.

He said that the trophy hunting programme was launched in the country in the early 80s with the permission of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna). The programme was aimed at the protection of endangered animals through the involvement of communities.

He said in the late 1970s when he was District Forest Officer of Chitral he realized that the number of markhors was decreasing rapidly due to illegal hunting in the area.

Dr Malik said he understood that stopping illegal hunting was impossible through enforcement of the law in such a large area and there was an urgent need to introduce some other policy for saving markhors from extinction.

He said that at the time the wildlife department planned to involve communities for protection of the animal by offering them incentives.

He said that communities were organized and it was planned to invite foreign hunters to hunt one or two markhors only and the fee they paid would be spent on development of the communities engaged in protection of the animal.

Dr Malik said that the Shikar Safari Club signed an agreement with the NWFP Wildlife department and two hunting permits at the rate of $5,000 each were allowed to club members for hunting the animal.

He said that presently the rate of the hunting permit per animal had been raised to $50,000.

He said that from 2000-01 to 2004-05 an amount of Rs24.73 million had been distributed among the communities formed in Chitral and Kohistan districts for the protection of markhors.

He said his department was also planning to organize at least 10 more communities in Chitral and extend the programme to other districts of the province where wildlife is found.

Faiz-ur-Rehman, President, Gairat Conservancy, Chitral, told newsmen that the people of his area were excited about the launching of the trophy hunting programme.

He said that communities were benefiting in several fields, including health, education and social sectors, through the programme.

He said the money we receive as our share from trophy hunting is being spent on awarding scholarships to students. Similarly, funds are released for providing healthcare to those persons who cannot afford it.—APP