Spring hunting season concludes at Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve

May 12, Kathmandu: The spring hunting season has ended at the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, with hunters returning after successfully hunting 12 Bharal (Naur) and six Himalayan Tahr (Jharal).

Although the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department had set a quota of nine Tahr for the season, only six were hunted this time.

Birendra Kandel, the chief conservation officer of the reserve, reported that three foreign hunters from Himalayan Safaris Pvt. Ltd. who went hunting Tahr during the season returned empty-handed. Professional hunters from eight countries participated in the spring hunting season from February to May.

These hunters were selected through a bidding process run by seven companies. They paid between Rs.520,000 to Rs.780,000 per Bharal and Rs.300,000 to Rs.310,000 per Tahr. In the fall season, the fees for hunting will be Rs.200,000 per Bharal and Rs.600,000 for Tahr. These rates fluctuate depending on the demand for hunting. During the fall season, the hunting quota was set for eight Naur and six Jharal, but only seven Naur and five Jharal were hunted.

After hunting, most of the hunters consume the meat, but they take the horns, hooves, and skins back to their home countries as trophies. Many of these hunters are renowned in their field and have won international hunting competitions.

Hunting, when properly regulated and managed, can play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of wildlife populations while also providing income for conservation areas, tourism entrepreneurs, and local communities.