Local hunter Zeeshan Nasir of Lower Chitral successfully hunted a Himalayan Markhor during the ongoing trophy hunting season in the Arakari Valley.
According to the Wildlife Department, the ibex hunted was about 10 years old. According to the Wildlife Department spokesperson Latif-ur-Rehman, the size of the horns of the hunted ibex was recorded at 43.5 inches, which is being considered as one of the prominent hunts of this season.
The Wildlife Department says that due to effective conservation measures in the Arakari Valley, the population of Himalayan ibex has increased significantly, after which limited and legal trophy hunting was allowed.
According to the spokesperson, 80 percent of the money received from hunting under the trophy hunting rules is given to the Village Conservation Committees, which is spent on welfare, education and health projects at the local level.
The Wildlife Department further says that experts and locals are calling trophy hunting a successful model of sustainable tourism and wildlife conservation, which not only helps in the conservation of natural resources but also provides economic benefits to the local population.
