Rukum East, April 30 : The ongoing lockdown order following the spread of Coronavirus has badly hit the hunting activities in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Lawful hunting is open twice a year in the reserve.    
The officials announce the bid for hunting in the seasons of September- October and April-May.    
Assistant conservation officer at the Reserve Ramesh Yadav said that no hunter expressed their willingness for the hunting this season despite the call. People from America and Europe used to come for the purpose of hunting. Since the international flights are suspended and the lockdown order is in place, the hunters did not show up this season, Yadav said.    
As per the conservation law, a hunter is permitted to hunt 11 bharal (Naur) and three Himalayan tahr (Jharal).    
The hunters can kill a Naur by offering their bid from Rs 900,000 to Rs 1.2 million. An agreement to this end was also inked on March 17.    
During the time of normal activities, the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve was collecting over Rs 20 million in revenue but this year the Reserve is likely to lose almost half of that amount, Yadav shared.    
In the spring season last year, the hunter paid Rs 1.35 million in fee for the lawful hunting of one Naur and almost equal amount to Jharal. “More hunters were expected to visit the Reserve for lawful hunting this year against the last year. But, it got affected badly from COVID-19,” the assistant conservation officer said.    
Spread over 1,325 square km the Reserve covers the geography of East Rukum, Myagdi and Baglung having around 60 per cent of its territory in Rukum.