Russian national hunts rare Markhor in Chitral for $68,000

A rare Kashmiri Markhor in the Gahirat-Golen conservancy of Chitral was legally hunted by a Russian national.

According to details, the hunting took place under Pakistan’s regulated trophy hunting program. 

The hunter secured a $68,000 license for the hunt. The hunted Markhor’s horns measured approximately 41 inches in length, making it a prized trophy for the expedition. 

This hunt was carried out under the Community-Based Trophy Hunting Programme supervised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department. 

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department aims to balance conservation with local economic benefits. Under this initiative, a significant portion of the revenue from trophy money is returned to local residents to support community welfare and conservation efforts. 

The program operates under regulations that allow a limited number of hunts each year. In 2024, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora approved the hunting of six markhors. 

However, the animal’s body could not be taken out of Pakistan. 80% of proceeds from the licenses are distributed among local communities, while the remaining 20 percent goes to the national treasury. 

According to the officials, the revenue helps fund local development projects and boost conservation incentives by engaging communities in protecting wildlife habitats. Trophy hunting of markhors has been part of broader efforts that wildlife authorities say contribute to population stability in some areas. 

Last year, a US national paid $125,000 for a similar trophy hunt in the same region. The hunted markhor had horns measuring about 38 inches.