Guwahati: Nine captive-bred pygmy hogs were released in the sprawling Manas National Park in Assam on Tuesday under the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP).
With this fifth release, the number of pygmy hogs reintroduced to Kanchnabari Grassland has reached 27.
The pygmy hog (Porcula salvania) is the world’s smallest and rarest wild pig, most threatened by extinction. The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) has been instrumental in reviving the pygmy hog population in Assam.
R P. Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of the Forest Force (HoFF) of Assam, praised the efforts of the PHCP for reintroduction and restoring the endangered Pygmy Hog in Manas National Park.
He said, “I wish the population of the pygmy hog stabilizes in this landscape making Manas more vibrant in its species richness.”
Camera trap studies conducted in 2023 at the released site provided encouraging evidence of the hogs’ successful adaptation to their new environment. The capture of a pregnant female pygmy hog on camera marked a significant breakthrough for the conservation program.
Established in 1996, the PHCP, which is made up of founding partners Assam Forest Department, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the IUCN/SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, and Ecosystems-India and Aaranyak as a delivery partner, has been working to bring this precious species back from the brink, after pygmy hog was presumed extinct in the 1970s.
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Through dedicated breeding and reintroduction initiatives, the PHCP has successfully reintroduced 179 pygmy hogs in Assam.
Aaranyak, in a statement, said that this number may now surpass the current global wild population, offering a glimmer of hope for the species’ future.
The reintroduction of captive-bred hogs to the wild began in 2008. Prior to releases in Manas National Park, the PHCP selected other appropriate grasslands in Assam for reintroductions of the pygmy hog.
The pygmy hog faces threats from habitat loss, disease, and human activity.
Fifty-nine pygmy hogs were released in Orang and the current population is estimated to be 130. Pygmy hogs are elusive creatures that spend most of their time hidden in tall grass, making them difficult to monitor at the reintroduction site in Orang National Park.
