A 75-year-old American citizen, Thomas Garrick Steele, has hunted a Kashmir markhor in the Tushi Shasha Conservancy in Lower Chitral. The hunt took place under a legal permit issued by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department. Steele paid US$243,000, which is about 6.83 crore rupees, making it one of the highest value trophy permits of the season.
The markhor he hunted had an impressive 55-inch horn span. Local community members guided him during the activity, and the animal was taken from a distance of around 250 metres. These hunts are part of a regulated trophy hunting program that aims to support conservation while generating income for mountain communities.
The government issues a limited number of exportable permits each year, usually three across the Chitral conservancies. Under these permits, hunters are allowed to take the horns outside the country. Last year, authorities also introduced non exportable permits, where the horns stay in Pakistan. This approach keeps the program tightly controlled and helps maintain the markhor population.
A major part of the revenue, nearly 80 percent, goes to the local village conservation committees. These funds are used for community development, wildlife protection, and improving the livelihoods of residents living near markhor habitats. The remaining portion goes to the government for management and monitoring.
Although trophy hunting is often debated, officials say the controlled program has helped increase the markhor population over the years. The recent hunt shows how international interest continues to support conservation and local communities in remote areas.
