Hog numbers grow thanks to Durrell conservation partnership

Wednesday 09 October 2024

A rare species of of pig is continuing to expand in numbers from the brink of extinction as the result of work by a Jersey-based conservation trust.

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is a partner in the programme to bring captive-bred pygmy hogs back into the wild in the Manas National Park in the Indian state of Assam.

A batch of nine hogs were released on Tuesday 1 October, making a total of 63 since the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme started with the first release in Manas in 2020.

This means that the programme has met its target of rewilding 60 hogs in Manas by 2025.

Pygmy hogs – which stand about 25cm from the ground and weigh between 6 and 9kg – declined as a result of a loss of natural habitat and human encroachment to the point where it was believed that they may 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, and a pregnant female hog was captured on camera in the wild for the first time.

Pictured: A batch of nine hogs were released on Tuesday 1 October in the Manas National Park in the Indian state of Assam.

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 are crucial for other threatened species and provide important ecological services.

"I wish the population of the pygmy hog stabilises in this landscape, making Manas more vibrant in its species richness," he added.