Community Based Sustainable Trophy Hunting Programme of Pakistan with special emphasis on Northern Areas.

Pakistan is home to a rich diversity of wild Caprinae (sheep and goats) and is one of the key countries for caprinae conservation. Seven species with twelve subspecies found here include Western Himalayan Goral, Blue Sheep, Sindh Wild Goat, Chiltan Wild Goat, Asiatic or Himalayan ibex, Flared-horned markhor, Straight-horned markhor, Blandford’s urial, Afghan urial, Punjab urial, Ladakh urial and Marco Polo sheep. All but one of these is of interest to sport hunters. Scattered in fragmented populations, these ungulates occur from desert hills in southern Baluchistan and Sindh, to the foot hills of mountains in the north. Populations of these animals were declining due to illegal hunting, lack of conservation incentives and lack of awareness to a great extent. Realizing the negative implication of unmanaged illegal hunting pressure on the animals’ populations in the long run, though not truly community based, a Markhor hunting program was initiated by the Government of NWFP in 1983. In 1986, Society of Torghar Environmental Protection (STEP) started the first controlled hunting of Afghan urial and Suleman markhor.

In 1989, the Northern Areas Wildlife Forest Department through conservation agencies, mainly WWF introduced the concept of trophy hunting of Himalayan ibex in one valley. However, an organized community based sustainable trophy hunting program was launched through a GEF/UNDP supported program implemented by IUCN-Pakistan in collaboration with Forest and Wildlife Department, AKRSP, WWF and local communities initially for two species; Astore markhor and Himalayan ibex in few remote valleys.

The program has now been further strengthened and promoted through a full scale community-based GEF/UNDP funded Mountains Areas Conservancy Project (MACP) in Northern Pakistan. MACP has an inbuilt most promising component on trophy hunting alternative, among several other sustainable use options, which has not only contributed to the animal population in the rugged mountain valleys but also helped captured communal enhanced interest in conservation activities through boosting local socio-economic conditions. The program as form of spot hunting and a conservation tool for long term conservation of species and habitats turned out effective as foreign exchange enterprise earning for local communities as well as government.

Several Community Controlled Hunting Areas (CHAs) through replication of the hunting program attracted an increased number of national and international hunters each year. Pakistan is also a pioneer in introducing such Community-based Trophy Hunting Programs (CTHP) and using trophy-hunting as tool for conserving wildlife. It is one of the few countries in the world that offers conservation hunts where 80% of the proceeds from trophy hunting flow back through local communities to ensure sustainability of conservation initiatives.

A thorough review of the program by D.M. Shackleton, the then Chair IUCN/SSC Caprinae Specialist Group in 2001 declared as “ Pakistan is positioned to lead the world in the application of community based trophy hunting programs to the conservation of biodiversity in mountain ecosystem .” The most important aspect is, communities have internalized the concept of offering one species for hunt as link in safeguarding several others and their habitat through conservation measures designed in the management plans at the watershed level.

Due to the prominent economic incentives to pay for, mainly the conservation cost and limited social development, an increased number of communities have started similar conservation programs on their own. For instance, in addition to a remarkable increase in the ungulate populations, trophy hunting generated only in Northern Areas last season (2002-2003) total revenue of US $ 78, 000/ for communities and government with shares of 80 and 20% respectively. Similarly, US $ 82,000/ added to the economy of Northern Areas with the same ratio, this season (2003-2004).

Outfitters’ margin, hunting tips and other living cost of the hunters added on the top as business for hunting outfitters and incentive for local wildlife guides and community members at large. The conservation endowment established the watershed level contributed to the voluntary services of wildlife Guides and have encouraged them to help strengthen the “Watch and Ward” mechanism at the valley level. The conservation endowments gradually grow from the hunt revenue and donations from the hunters.

For instance, one valley has increased its endowment from 3US $ 600/ to US $ 18000/ besides regular interest utilization of interest on conservation activities to safeguard animal population. On the other hand, population of animals has been increased enough to provide options to select trophies of choice. This might be an opportunity to hunt for the socio-economic uplift of remote communities and contribute to the conservation efforts under a legally recognized community based trophy hunting program.

The interested hunters may take home impressive trophies of Markhor, Ibex, Blue sheep and Urial from the adventure valleys in Hindukush, Himalayas and Karakorum mountain ranges, a combination of culture and hospitable communities. Opportunities of viewing elusive snow leopard, world renowned glaciers coupled with thousand years old Junipers patches provide unforgettable sights. Faiz Ali Khan Regional Project Manager Mountain Areas Conservancy Project IUCN-The World Conservation Union Northern Areas, Pakistan

Money-Maker Wildlife

There are two different worlds that collide in Pakistan’s high mountain areas. On the one side is the indigenous game scout who with only a few hundred dollars a year income must support himself and his family, and on the other side is the foreign hunting client mostly from Europe or America, who in order to hunt an Ibex or a Markhor is prepared to pay close to USD 50 000 for this privilege. And to top it all he isn’t doing it for the meat for which the said game scout in days past undertook dangerous climbing exercises and strenuous, if not entirely unused excursions, the Gora – the white man does it surprisingly just for the horns. And these horns are the more valuable to the foreigner the longer nature and the years allowed these horns to grow and increase in length. A well placed shot may be of importance to the foreigner, but more emphasis is placed, so it must appear to the game scout, on the tape measure; which the foreign hunter produces from his pockets the second he reaches his quarry. The resulting measurement is directly related to the scale of his delight and the gratuity he may part with.

The ensuing talk is all about records, but only comprehended by those who care. For the game scout it is best to show delight as well, then since the introduction of the community based hunting programme in the mountains of Pakistan, real money is reaching the land, e.g. the villages and hamlets; where 80% of the for many hunters astronomically high fees flow into the local village fund, used in part for social establishments, water channels for irrigation and bridge building to name just a few examples.

These for the indigenous people incomprehensively high amounts make foreign countries appear very rich; on the other hand the payments have led to conservation ideas taking root in the hearts and brains of the local population. Whereas in the past Ibex, Markhor and Urial where purely viewed as meat, they are now seen as important as gold; comparable to the aquamarine or rubies which are also found in the mountains and sold in the markets. More and more villages and hamlets are joining the conservation efforts and in a not to distant future this particular mountain wildlife, which at one time was close to extinction, might appear again in numbers only seen hundreds of years ago.

With the added attraction of an increased snow leopard population, based on the number of sightings so far. The same applies to the Indian leopard thanks to the introduction of a wildlife conservation programme in the Pakistani section of Kashmir where the chamois related Goral exists. On going peace negotiations between Pakistan and India may lead eventually to a reduction of both armies and the recovery of the Kashmir elk and the Kashmir Markhor in the disputed Kashmir region itself. These are indeed pleasing developments, yes, finally news of a success story after all the realistic horror messages of drastic decline and eradication of wildlife and plant species which nearly daily reached our by now nearly numb senses.

Pakistan has indeed taken an exemplary path of habitat and wildlife preservation which points the way for other nations to copy. The African state of Zimbabwe led the way with the ‘Campfire’ Project, which may now be threatened through the political turmoil. Carry on Pakistan! Especially now with the neighbouring country Afghanistan trying to copy the community based conservation project of Pakistan judging by the first assessments of the newly created Ministry of Natural Resources.

The title “Money-maker Wildlife” is under these pleasing developments no longer derogative and this also throws a favourably light on the foreign hunter who is often criticized by his fellow citizen or even envied for his money. Whoever he may be, the money he spends in Pakistan on obtaining his desired trophy is reaching the right channels, even if there are a few black sheep to be found in any society. Honest local professional hunters guarantee this. There circulates this true story about a professional hunter who offered to remain as a hostage in a certain village until the rightful portion of the money was transferred to the said village fund. This happened in the early stages when local villages placed very little trust in the promises of the government authorities.

A Pakistani mountain dweller however lost his faith in society. He appeared, believe it or not, with 9 astonishing record Markhor trophies and offered these for $ 25 000 each in the bazaars of the regional capital of Gilgit, which lies in the shadows of the gigantic Nanga Parbat massif, but found only incomprehension. Instead he earned ridicule and laughter, found no buyers for his horns and attracted the attention of the police. It transpired that the mountain dweller had shot all 9 markhor for the purpose of selling these: It had come to his attention that rich foreigners paid such large sums for these horns. Frustrated he returned to his hamlet. Let us hope he will join instead a community based conservation project as successful professional hunter for he certainly has the experience. It wouldn’t be the first time that a poacher became professional hunter as we have learned from example of Ganghofer.