This film takes you on a journey to the incredibly beautiful country of Uzbekistan, renowned for its unique culture and stunning mountain landscapes. The jewels of Uzbekistan's mountains are the Bukhara markhor and the Bukhara urial, once endangered but now successfully recovering thanks to conservation-minded hunting practices.
Trophy hunter Sergey Mazurkevich is on his way to Uzbekistan, where he and his wife will take part in one of the most exclusive conservation hunts. Together they will hunt the Bukhara markhor and the Bukhara urial.
The markhor has several subspecies, primarily distinguished by the shape of their horns. These subspecies are found in the Western Himalayas, Kashmir, Little Tibet, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Today, this species is almost universally endangered, and hunting it is strictly regulated.
Hunting the Bukhara urial in Uzbekistan is another opportunity to support the conservation and preservation of rare animal species. Since the urial is a protected species and is endangered, hunting it is also subject to strict rules and regulations. These include limits on the number of permits issued and specific conservation measures.
Mountains cover a significant part of Uzbekistan's territory and are one of the country's main attractions. The climate varies with altitude: above 2500 metres it is harsh and mountainous, characterised by low temperatures, strong winds and heavy snowfall in winter. At lower altitudes, the climate is milder. Although the low humidity can result in a piercing cold wind, the southern regions of Uzbekistan generally enjoy comfortable temperatures even during the winter months.
Trophy hunting and conservation are inseparable. True trophy hunting is always done within the law. Its purpose is to harvest an old male with remarkable trophy qualities. Such a male typically no longer contributes to healthy offspring and its removal does not harm the population.
In turn, the high cost of such hunts motivates the community to care for the species. It also provides funding to protect these animals from poachers who hunt young individuals for meat or skins.
For some, this conclusion may be ethically controversial, but the fact remains. Without trophy hunting, the conservation of rare species becomes economically unviable. Only the prudent use of natural resources and a rational approach can help to increase the population of rare animals and preserve their genetic diversity for future generations.
The film about this hunt
