Gilgit, December 10: The Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department has asked national and international Trophy hunters to submit bids for auctioning of licenses. According to a letter sent to the press, 72 hunting licenses/permits will be auctioned for the year 2013. The highest number of permits will be sold for hunting of Himalayan Ibex, 60, followed by 8 licenses for Blue Sheep and 4 licenses for Astorie Markhor, one of the rarest species. A hunter with a Himalayan Ibex Each permit for hunting of an Astori Ibax will be sold for USD 40,000, for Blue Sheep the rate for each permit has been fixed at USD 6,250, while for Himalayan Ibex the price of each permit has been fixed at USD 2,500. Pakistani nationals can pay PKR 100,000 per permit for hunting Himalayan Ibex. The auction will take place on 20th December at 10am, at the office of Secretary Forest, Wildlife and Environment, located on River Road in Gilgit. The revenue earned through trophy hunting is shared by the government and the people, 20:80 respectively, of the village where the hunting takes place.
