Gilgit-Baltistan’s Parks and Wildlife Department will auction permits for 117 animals, including three Astore markhors, 14 blue sheep and 100 Himalayan ibexes, for the 2026-27 trophy hunting season.
The open bidding will be held on September 10 at the Forest Complex in Jutial, Gilgit, according to an official auction notice.
The base price is $200,000 for an Astore markhor, $25,000 for a blue sheep and $11,000 for a Himalayan ibex.
The department said that the exportable quota for Astore markhors was four animals, but one permit had been carried forward from the previous season. Three new permits will therefore be auctioned in September.
Under the GB Trophy Hunting Guidelines 2019, the hunting season will run from October 15 until April 10, 2027.
Hunting will be permitted only in designated conservation areas, while the annual quota has been set based on surveys by wildlife experts, the notice confirmed.
GB Chief Conservator Parks and Wildlife Zakir Hussain has said that Rs350 million was raised through permit auctions last year, against a target of Rs550 million.
Permits for two Astore markhors, five blue sheep and 10 exportable Himalayan ibexes went unused during the 2025-26 season, resulting in an estimated Rs200m loss, he said.
Local business owners and tour operators have opposed increases in permit prices, saying they have reduced international interest and affected businesses dependent on trophy hunting.
Around 80 percent of licence revenue goes to local communities for wildlife protection and conservation.
The department auctioned permits for 118 animals for the 2025-26 season, with an Astore markhor permit fetching $370,000.
Supporters say trophy hunting can help deter poaching and fund conservation, although the practice remains controversial internationally.
GB is home to multiple species including Marco Polo sheep, ibex, markhor, urial, blue sheep, lynx, snow leopard, and brown and black bears.
Many face threats from illegal hunting, wildlife mismanagement and climate change.
