A BATCH of the world’s smallest and rarest wild pigs have been released back into the wild as Durrell aims to bring the hogs away from the brink of extinction.
The wildlife conservation trust is a partner in a programme to release captive-bred pygmy hogs in the Manas national park in the Indian state of Assam.
Nine hogs were released this week, bringing the total to 63 since the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme started in 2020.
The programme set a target of “rewilding” 60 hogs in Manas by 2025.
Pygmy hogs – which stand about 25cm from the ground and weigh between 6kg and 9kg – declined as a result of a loss of natural habitat and human encroachment to the point where it was believed that they might have become extinct in the 1970s.
The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme dates back to 1996, and a total of 170 hogs have been successfully bred in captivity and reintroduced to the wild at a range of sites in Assam.
Six of the newly released hogs were fitted with radio trackers to provide data on their behaviour and habitat use. A camera trap study from last year’s release site in Manas shows that hogs released in 2023 are exploring and now breeding in the area, while a pregnant female hog was captured on camera in the wild for the first time.
Parag Jyoti Deka, PHCP project director at Durrell, said: “Not only is the pygmy hog one of the most endangered mammals in the world, but it also happens to be an indicator of the health of its habitat.”
He explained that the grasslands inhabited by pygmy hogs were ecologically important sites that were crucial to the survival of other threatened species.
“I wish the population of the pygmy hog stabilises in this landscape, making Manas more vibrant in its species richness,” he added.