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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 57. 99 points to close at 2,639.92 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 11. 14 points to close at 476. 24 points.

A total of 13,863,443-unit shares of 319 companies were traded for Rs 5. 90 billion.

Meanwhile, Wean Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (WNLB) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 98 percent.

Likewise, Ngadi Group Power Ltd. (NGPL) was the top loser with its price dropped by 8. 81 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 19 trillion.

The first season of hunting Bharal, Himalayan tahr, and wild boar has commenced in the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation has permitted the hunting of 12 Bharal, eight Himalayan tahr, and 11 wild boar for this season.

Hunting in the reserve is divided into two seasons, with the first season running from September to October and the second season scheduled for March to April. The first team, led by Nepal Travels & Expedition Company, arrived at the reserve on Oct 9.

Through this company, Australian hunters shot the first Bharal of the season, with each weighing over 70 kg on average. The remaining three companies that have been granted hunting permits are preparing to enter the reserve.

Pemba Sherpa, Chief Management Officer of the park, reported that 12 foreign hunters have received permits this year through four companies. The minimum bid for hunting is set at Rs 150,000 for Bharal, Rs 75,000 for Himalayan tahr, and Rs 10,000 for wild boar. Companies that exceed the minimum bid are awarded permits. The highest bid for Bharal reached Rs 1.23m, while Himalayan tahr attracted a bid of Rs 725,000.

“A permit is also required for hunting wild boars, though foreign hunters show less interest in hunting them,” Sherpa noted. “The minimum cost for boar hunting is Rs 10,000. The total revenue generated from hunting Bharal, Himalayan tahr, and wild boar amounts to Rs 14.5m.”

The hunting companies also contribute funds to local communities to aid wildlife conservation. This initiative not only generates foreign currency for Nepal but also promotes tourism at the local level. The department issued a 15-day notice on September 4 for competitive hunting bids for Bharal, Himalayan tahr, and wild boar in the reserve.

Amrit Thapa, owner of Nepal Travels & Expedition, emphasized the unique experience that hunters enjoy in the world-renowned reserve, despite the geographical challenges. He advocates for modernizing and simplifying the legal processes for weapon permits and hunting. He also highlighted the six-month wait for hunters to export animal hides due to the involvement of multiple agencies, including the Department of Parks, Ministry of Forests, and Ministry of Home Affairs.

Thapa also pointed out the need for government manpower to manage hunting quotas, control poaching, raise public awareness, and involve local communities in wildlife monitoring and census activities.

The Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is globally recognized for attracting professional foreign hunters. With signed permits, Bharal, Himalayan tahr, and wild boar can be legally hunted in designated periods. Hunters are granted 14 to 21 days to complete their hunts, supported by a team of 25 to 30 personnel. Foreign hunters bring permitted firearms and ammunition from their home countries.

Hunting in this remote reserve is expensive due to helicopter access and the large support teams required. Most hunters come from the United States, Mexico, France, Spain, Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, Canada, and Germany.

Hunters are allowed to keep animal hides, consume the meat, and properly dispose of waste in the forest. However, the Himalayan goral and Himalayan serow are off-limits due to their inclusion in the site’s protected schedule, according to Birendra Prasad Kandel, Senior Conservation Officer of the Reserve Office.

“The reserve is divided into seven blocks: Sundah, Seng, Dogadi, Barse, Fagune, Surtibang, and Ghustung, where hunting is permitted,” Kandel said. He noted that the reserve faces challenges such as encroachment, poaching, demand for firewood, adverse weather, and climate change. However, regulated hunting does not deplete wildlife populations or damage local crops and habitats.

Hunting is restricted to older male species. The population of Bharal and Himalayan tahr is counted every five years, with the latest census in 2021 recording 1,290 Bharal and 744 Himalayan tahr. The number of animals permitted for hunting is scientifically determined.

Established in 1987, the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve covers 1,325 square kilometers, spanning parts of East Rukum, Baglung, and Myagdi. The reserve is home to 32 species of mammals, including Bharal, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan serow, and the Himalayan black bear. It also hosts 164 species of birds, such as the Lophophorus, Satyr tragopan, and Cheer pheasant, which are listed as rare and protected.

In the previous fiscal year, hunting permits were granted for 19 Bharal and 11 Himalayan tahr, generating a total of Rs 42.6m, according to department data.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 600 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 165, 600 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 165, 000 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 20 and is being traded at Rs 2,095 per tola today.

The export of tea in the first quarter of the current fiscal year increased by 36 percent compared with the year on year from the Mechi Customs Office.

The Office said that 6,426 metric tons of tea was exported in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

Information Officer of Mechi Customs Office Ganapati Kandel said the export of tea, in terms of price, increased by more than 50 percent compared to the same period last year and totaled Rs 1.71 billion.

Chairman of the Nepal Tea Producers Association Aditya Parajuli said that the export of Nepali tea increased due to a decline in its production in India.

Parajuli hoped that the export of Nepali tea would increase further if facilitation efforts were made from the government side.

However, the export of cardamom has decreased by 49 percent in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

During the period, a total of 783 metric tons of cardamom was exported against the export of 1,525 metric tons in the same period of the last fiscal year.

The Mechi Customs Office stated that exports of plywood, broom grass and veneer sheets increased impressively during the first three months of the current fiscal while the export of ginger, Chhuri, iron and vegetables decreased.