Teenage boy hunts Himalayan Ibex, sets new record: report

GILGIT: 13-year-old Imam Haroon from Islamabad became the youngest hunter in the legal trophy hunting in Gilgit-Baltistan after he hunted a Himalayan Ibex in upper Hunza, reported leading English daily.

According to GB parks and wildlife department, Haroon hunted the Himalayan Ibex, with a horn measuring almost 40 inches, in the Gulkin Village of Gojal located at an altitude of 12,000 feet, amid harsh weather conditions on Thursday.

To celebrate his hunt, local residents arranged a reception.

Speaking on the occasion, Haroon said that the hunt of the Himalayan Ibex encouraged him to set a world record in hunting at an international level and thanked the local for their hospitality.

GB parks and wildlife department conservator said that the teenager obtained a permit for the hunt for Rs 100,000 and confirmed that Haroon was the youngest hunter in the history of legal trophy hunting in GB.

On September 21 last year, the wildlife department had auctioned permits for the hunting of 113 rare species under the trophy hunting programme 2017-2018 with the hunting of the endangered Astor markhor fetching the highest licence fee of USD $100,000 in the history of trophy hunting.

The bidding consisted of both foreign and local participants, though the trophy hunting fees for national, international and local hunters vary.

The hunting season is from November to April and the animals in the program include markhors, blue sheep and ibexes.