The first season for hunting the himalayan blue sheep (Naur), himalayan tahr (Jharal) and wild boars has begun in the country's only hunting reserve , Dhorpatan.
The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation has given permission this season to four companies to hunt 12 sheep, 11 boars and eight tahrs, reports RSS, the state-owned news agency.
An Australian citizen under the Nepal Travel Expedition Company hunted a blue sheep to kick off the season.
According to Pemba Sherpa, Senior Management Officer at the reserve, a dozen foreign hunters have obtained the permits.
To get the permission, hunters need to pay a minimum fee of Rs 150,000 for a blue sheep, Rs 75,000 for a himalayan tahr and Rs 10,000 for a wild boar. Companies get hunting permits by bidding the amount which exceeds the minimum fee.
For this season, the highest bid of Rs 1.2 million was received for a blue sheep and Rs 725,000 for a himalayan tahr. Sherpa said that over Rs 14.5 million has been collected in revenue from such fees this season.
Sherpa, however, added that most of the hunters are not that keen on hunting wild boars. “But those wanting to hunt the himalayan blue sheep have to take the permit for hunting the wild boar as well,” he added.
According to the 2021 census, the reserve has 1,290 himalayan blue sheep and 744 himalayan tahr, said Birendra Prasad Kandel, Senior Conservation Officer at the reserve.
Established in 1983, the reserve is spread over an area of 1,325 square kilometres. It is home to 32 species of mammals and 164 species of birds.
RSS