Bids for trophy hunting invited

The NWFP wildlife department has sought bids from hunters/outfitters for hunting permits of 10 Himalayan ibexes and four Kashmiri Markhors under the trophy hunting scheme in Chitral and Kohistan districts
Advertisements are being floated in the press and bidders are asked to submit their offer till October 31, said Chief Conservator Wildlife Dr Mumtaz Malik.
In order to attract maximum number of hunters and advertise biding internationally, the advertisements will also be notified in all the leading newspapers of English and Urdu languages and websites of international organizations dealing with wildlife, he added.
After completion of the bidding process, permits will be issued and hunting will start from December 2008 to March 2009.
He said the trophy hunting will be permissible only in community game reserves in district Chitral and Kohistan.
About terms and conditions of hunting, Dr Mumtaz said every hunter desirous of hunting markhor in Chitral will be required to buy hunting permit for Himalayan ibex as well. Last year, four Markhor permits were sold for Dollar 81,000, 68,000 and 58,000, respectively while Himalayan ibex permits were sold for $3,000 each.
Big Game Shooting License Fee of $100 will be charged in addition to the trophy hunting permit fee.--APP