Russian hunter shoots Kashmiri Markhor

PESHAWAR: A Russian hunter hunted an eight years old 38-inch Kashmiri Markhor (Capra falconeri) in district Chitral of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Abujeni Sakharov has paid 64,000 US dollars for obtaining for the hunting trophy to KP Wildlife Department and its last third trophy hunting for the current season while last month two US nationals hunted in Toshi ShaSha.

Trophy hunting in Pakistan awarded through open bidding wherein the hunters of Markhor from different countries participate and the highest bidder get permission for hunting.

Funds collected through awarding hunting permission are spent on welfare activities and security of Markhor and the whole process is carried out under the supervision of Wildlife Department and such hunting is called trophy.

According to an estimate, the department permits hunting on the directives of the provincial government that requires payment of over Rs 10 million while the hunter is allowed to hunt only one Markhor. Last year, the Wildlife Department has organized successful trophy hunting in Chitral wherein an US national hunted the costliest animal.