Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Conservationists have released 15 captive-bred pygmy hogs into the Kuribeel grasslands of Manas National Park, a critical move to restore the population of the world’s rarest wild pig. The group, consisting of nine females and six males, returned to the same landscape where six hogs were originally captured in 1996 to launch the conservation breeding initiative.
This release is the sixth of its kind since 2020, bringing the total number of hogs reintroduced into the park to 78. Officials confirmed that this event marks the first sighting of the species in the Kuribeel grasslands in nine years, following extensive efforts by the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme and the Assam Forest Department to restore and protect the local habitat.
Assam Chief Wildlife Warden Vinay Gupta described the reintroduction as a "remarkable conservation achievement" and noted the importance of such work for maintaining grassland ecosystems. The conservation partnership, which includes the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and various local organizations, aims to release 80 additional animals over the next five years. The project goal is to establish a stable wild population of 300 pygmy hogs by 2040.
The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme has successfully reintroduced 194 individuals across Assam to date. Similar efforts in Orang National Park have already seen success, with the population there growing to approximately 200 wild-born animals. Experts emphasize that the long-term survival of the species relies on continued habitat management and protection across the region.
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