From 6 to 194: Descendants of Assam’s pygmy hogs return home after 30 years
Nearly 30 years ago, six tiny pygmy hogs were taken out of the grasslands of Manas in Assam to save them from extinction. In June this year, their descendants came home.
Fifteen captive-bred pygmy hogs — nine females and six males — were released into the same Kuribeel grasslands of Manas National Park. No confirmed signs of the species had been recorded there for the past nine years.
The release marked a powerful full-circle moment for conservationists who have spent decades trying to bring the animal back from the brink.
In 1996, six pygmy hogs were captured from Kuribeel to start a breeding programme under the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP), after the species had come dangerously close to disappearing.
Since 2020, six groups have been released in Manas alone. With the latest 15 animals, the number released in the national park has reached 78. Across Assam, the programme has now bred and reintroduced 194 pygmy hogs.
Porcula salvania, India’s only endemic wild pig, is among the world’s rarest mammals. Endemic to northeast India, it was once widespread in the tall, wet alluvial grasslands of the Terai, but disappeared from much of its historical range during the 20th century and was once feared extinct.
There are now encouraging signs. For the first time since the programme began, wild-born pygmy hogs may now outnumber those living in captivity — an important turning point for recovery.
Conservationists consider the pygmy hog a flagship species for tall grasslands. If these hogs can survive and breed, it is a strong sign that the habitat around them is being protected and restored.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has included the pygmy hog in its Species Recovery Programme, with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) serving as the nodal agency. Potential habitats being considered for future reintroduction include Jaldapara in West Bengal and suitable areas in Uttar Pradesh.
Over the next five years, the PHCP plans to release around 80 more pygmy hogs in Manas, with a longer-term goal of building a wild population of around 300 animals by 2040.
The effort brings together the Assam Forest Department, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the IUCN SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group, Aaranyak and Ecosystems-India.
