In a significant step towards wildlife conservation, nine captive-bred pygmy hogs were released into Manas National Park, Assam, on Tuesday. This release, part of the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP), aims to reintroduce the world’s smallest and rarest wild pig to its natural habitat, thus aiding in its conservation.
The pygmy hog (Porcula salvania), once thought to be extinct in the 1970s, is critically endangered and threatened primarily by habitat loss. The release took place in the presence of Assam’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, R. P. Singh, who praised the initiative, saying, “The effort for reintroducing and restoring the endangered pygmy hog in Manas National Park under the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme is commendable. I hope the population of the pygmy hog will stabilise, enhancing the park’s biodiversity.”
This marks the fifth release in Manas National Park since 2020, bringing the total number of pygmy hogs released in the park to 27. A camera trap study conducted in the park has shown that these hogs are adapting well to their environment, with a pregnant female captured on camera in the wild for the first time in the history of the programme.
The PHCP, initiated in 1996, is a collaborative effort of several key organisations, including the Assam Forest Department, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the IUCN/SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group, India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ecosystems-India, and Aaranyak, which serves as a delivery partner. The programme focuses on breeding and reintroducing pygmy hogs into the wild to help restore their population.
So far, the PHCP has successfully bred and reintroduced 179 pygmy hogs in Assam. For the first time, there are signs that their wild population may exceed the number of captive-bred hogs, marking a milestone in conservation efforts.
The PHCP began its work with the capture of four pygmy hogs in 1996 from the Bansbari Range of Manas National Park, with reintroductions starting in 2008. Apart from Manas, other suitable grasslands in Assam, such as Orang National Park, have been selected for reintroduction. In Orang, 59 pygmy hogs have been released, and the current population is estimated at 130 hogs. This thriving population is believed to consist entirely of wild-born individuals, a significant achievement given that pygmy hogs have a lifespan of about eight years in the wild.
Monitoring these elusive animals has been challenging due to their secretive nature, but the PHCP team has employed camera traps and sign surveys to track them. The results are promising, with hogs seen as far as 2km from the release sites, indicating healthy dispersal and adaptation.
Manas National Park, home to some of the largest remaining grasslands in the sub-Himalayan region, plays a crucial role in the survival of the pygmy hog. Dr. C. Ramesh, Field Director of Manas Tiger Reserve, highlighted the importance of grassland restoration, stating, “These grasslands not only support iconic species like tigers and elephants but also provide a habitat for smaller animals like the pygmy hog. Effective grassland management is vital to ensuring the long-term survival of these ecosystems and the species that depend on them.”
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Dr. Dhritiman Das, PHCP Field Scientist, emphasised the need for ongoing habitat and population monitoring to ensure the success of the reintroduction efforts. Aaranyak’s CEO, Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to the programme, stating, “Aaranyak is proud to be a part of this vital species recovery programme. The focus on grassland habitat restoration will benefit not only the pygmy hog but other grassland-dependent species as well.”
As part of its ongoing efforts, the PHCP will maintain a population of 80 captive hogs across two centres in Assam to breed more hogs for future releases. Monitoring of the released hogs will continue through camera traps, sign surveys, and radio-telemetry tracking, providing critical data on their behaviour and habitat use.
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