Comment on FR Doc # 2012-19071

Reply to letter dated 22 August 2012 from the US Department of the Interior/Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the proposed rule to reclassify the straight-horned markhor (Capra falconeri jerdoni) from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) has no objection to the proposed reclassification of the straight-horned markhor from endangered to threatened in the Torghar Hills, Balochistan Province of Pakistan. However, we wish to point out a factual error in the Federal Register Vol. 77, No. 152 dated 7th of August 2012. It states that “no markhor occur in Afghanistan”. This is incorrect as markhor do occur in small numbers in Nuristan and Badakhshan provinces of Afghanistan. Population estimates are not available at the present time. A survey report is currently in draft form which documents the presence of the markhor in Afghanistan. However, in the immediate border areas of Afghanistan adjacent to the Torghar Hills area of Pakistan we have no information of possible markhor presence. As the markhor is a protected species in Afghanistan it’s imperative that the export of markhor trophies be documented as taken from established conservation programs in the Torghar Hills area of Pakistan only and NOT from areas in Afghanistan. There is a possibility of the Torghar Hills area being a source of migration of markhor into Afghanistan and establishment of a viable population of markhor in the adjacent areas of Afghanistan. The MAIL supports the community based sustainable management of the Torghar Hills population of markhor and plan to emulate this model as the most appropriate way of local management and protection of the markhor.