US hunter pays whopping $110,000 to kill Pakistan national animal
A hunter from the US paid a whopping $110,000 to the Pakistan government to obtain a permit to hunt and kill a flare-horned Markhor, a rare wildlife species in Pakistan. The hunter, Bryan Kinsel Harlan, completed his kill on Monday. Notably, this is the highest-ever fee received by the Pakistan government for trophy hunting. Here are the details.
What Harlan had to say
"It was an easy and close shot and I am pleased to take this trophy," said Harlan, who managed to hunt a 41-inch Markhor trophy, which is considered to be a good hunt.
The Markhor is a protected species in Pakistan
The Markhor, a distinctive species of wild goat characterized by its long hair and spiralled horn, is the national animal of Pakistan. It is a protected species, and it is illegal to kill Markhors unless the government issues permits for trophy hunting. Annually, the Pakistan government issues four permits for hunting Markhors, and 80% of the proceeds from the permits go to local communities.
There are only 5,700 odd Markhors in the world
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Markhors are a near-threatened species and features in the union's Red List. The animal has a worldwide population of 5,754 and is found in Afghanistan, India (Jammu and Kashmir), Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Three US nationals paid extravagant fees for Markhor hunting
During the 2018-19 trophy hunting season, three US nationals paid extravagant fees to acquire Markhor hunting permits. While Harlan paid a record $110,000 for his permit, he was followed closely by Dianda Christopher Anthony, who paid $105,000 for his Markhor hunting permit, and completed his kill on January 21. Meanwhile, another US national, John Amistoso, paid $100,000 to kill a Markhor.
Around 50 animals were killed in this trophy hunting season
Markhors apart, a total of around 50 animals were hunted by national and foreign hunters during the 2018-19 trophy hunting season. Officials say that the trophy hunting program has been successful in improving the prosperity of communities in conservation areas.
