James Walker Crawford, a hunter from the United States, successfully hunted a 10-year-old Kashmir Markhor in the buffer zone of Chitral Gol National Park under Pakistan’s newly introduced non-exportable trophy hunting scheme. The markhor, a prized species, had horns measuring 41 inches.
Crawford secured the hunting permit from the Wildlife Department for $52,000 (approximately Rs. 14.53 million). This marked his second attempt at the hunt, as he had previously missed his shot. The hunt was conducted with the assistance of the village conservation committee of Rumbur and officials from Chitral Gol National Park, led by Divisional Forest Officer Rizwanullah.
Saleemuddin, Chairman of the Chitral Gol Community Development and Conservation Association, hailed the hunt as a significant milestone. He credited community-led conservation efforts for the increase in the markhor population, which has made trophy hunting more sustainable. Saleemuddin also urged the government to consider introducing exportable trophy hunting in the buffer zone next season, given the growing number of eligible markhors.
The trophy hunting program is designed to support both wildlife conservation and local communities. A portion of the permit fees is reinvested into conservation initiatives and community development projects, ensuring that local populations benefit while preserving wildlife habitats.
