A United States citizen has made history by becoming the first person to hunt a grey goral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Torghar district under an official trophy hunting permit. This single hunt generated $54,500 in revenue, highlighting the economic value of regulated wildlife programs in the region.
According to the KP Wildlife Department, a total of six non-exportable permits were issued this season for grey goral hunting. These permits collectively raised $398,500. Under the program’s rules, 80 percent of the total amount will be given to the local Conservation Committee. This money is meant to support wildlife protection efforts and help improve livelihoods in nearby communities.
Officials say the trophy hunting initiative is carefully regulated to ensure that only a limited number of animals are hunted each year. The goal is to protect rare species, prevent illegal hunting, and encourage local people to take part in conservation by giving them a direct financial benefit.
A day before the grey goral hunt, a Russian national also legally hunted a Kashmiri Markhor in Chitral under the same program, paying $68,000 for the permit. Authorities believe that such controlled hunts strike a balance between conserving wildlife and promoting sustainable development for local communities that live close to these habitats.
