Dhorpatan (Baglung), 30 March: The second hunting season of this year has begun in Dhorpatan, the only hunting reserve in Nepal. In the second season, 35 wild animals, including 13 naur, 10 jharal and 12 wild boars, will be hunted. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks had invited bids for the hunt on 15th Magh(28 Jan).
Six companies, including Himalayan Wildlife Outfits Pvt. Ltd., Tracks and Trails Pvt. Ltd., Himalayan Safaris Pvt. Ltd., Global Safaris Nepal, Nepal Travel Expeditions and Open Nepal Wildlife Safaris, have received permission to hunt in the second season. Hunters who have received permission from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks have started coming to hunt in various blocks of the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve.
Ranger Sagar Subedi of the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Office informed that hunters have started coming to Dhorpatan since Chaitra 26(8 April). Hunters will be allowed to hunt until Baisakh 16(29 April) for the second season (Phalgun-Baishakh). He said that so far, only two wild boars have been hunted. According to Ranger Subedi, Himalayan Wildlife Outfits has received a permit to hunt two naur and two wild boars through hunters. Ranger Subedi informed that this company has already hunted one naur. The hunted naur was done by 70-year-old Marcos Olaizola Alcorta from Spain in the Sundaha block.
Similarly, American hunters were granted permission to hunt two wild boars, two wild boars and two wild boars through Tracks and Trails Pvt. Ltd. According to Ranger Subedi, three hunters have been granted permission to hunt three wild boars and one wild boar through Himalayan Safaris Pvt. Ltd. Two hunters have been granted permission to hunt two wild boars, one wild boar and two wild boars through Global Safaris Nepal Pvt. Ltd. He informed that the company has so far hunted one wild boar in the Falgune block.
Three hunters have received permission to hunt three wild boars, three wild boars and three wild boars through Nepal Travel Expeditions Pvt. Ltd. Ranger Subedi says that the hunters from this company returned without hunting after encountering problems with their weapons. Three hunters have been granted permission to hunt one wild boar, two wild boars and three wild boars through Open Nepal Wildlife Safari and Treks Pvt. Ltd. Ranger Subedi informed that hunters from America, Argentina, Spain and France have come for this hunting season. According to him, the price for one wild boar is Rs. 800,000 and for one wild boar is Rs. 625,500.
This year, hunting is being carried out in Sundaha, Seng, Bhustung, Dogadi, Falgune, and Barse blocks, informed Chandrashekhar Chaudhary, Chief Conservation Officer of Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. He said that Rs 12.6 million in revenue was collected in the second season. There is also a provision to pay revenue for taking away wild animals killed by hunters. Hunting is open in Dhorpatan in two seasons every year. Hunting is open in the first (Asoj-Mangsir) and the second (Falgun-Baishakh).
