Endangered pygmy hogs released in India
The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), based in Jersey, UK, released 15 captive-bred pygmy hogs into the Kuribeel grasslands of Manas National Park, Assam.
This marks the first reintroduction at Kuribeel itself — the very site from which six wild hogs were captured in 1996 to establish the captive breeding programme.
The release follows eight years of habitat restoration in the Kuribeel area, where no wild pygmy hog had been detected for nearly a decade.
Since the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) began, a cumulative total of 194 pygmy hogs have been released across protected areas in Assam.
Over the next five years, the PHCP plans to release approximately 80 more pygmy hogs, aiming to rebuild a wild population of around 300 individuals by 2040.
Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania) — Species Profile
The pygmy hog is the world's smallest and rarest wild pig, reaching only 25–30 cm in height and weighing around 8–9 kg. It is endemic to the tall alluvial grasslands of the Himalayan foothills, and today its only confirmed wild population exists in Assam, India, with a possible fringe presence in southern Bhutan.
Key Details
- Scientific name: Porcula salvania (monotypic genus)
- IUCN Red List status: Endangered (downlisted from Critically Endangered as a direct result of PHCP conservation action)
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I — highest protection level; offences attract maximum penalties
- Habitat: Tall, dense alluvial grasslands (terai) at elevations up to 300 m in the Himalayan foothills
- Population estimate: Fewer than 250 mature individuals in the wild
- Threats: Habitat destruction through burning, drainage, and encroachment of grasslands; predation; small population vulnerability
The release at Kuribeel directly addresses the collapse of the wild population at that location, and represents a measurable expansion of the species' range within Manas.
Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP)
The PHCP is one of India's most successful species-recovery case studies and a global model for ex-situ to in-situ conservation. It was established in 1995 as a collaboration between the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), the IUCN Wild Pig Specialist Group (WPSG), the Assam Forest Department, and the Government of India.
Key Details
- Founded: 1995; captive founder stock of six animals captured from Manas in 1996
- Breeding centre: Located at Guwahati, Assam; maintains approximately 90 hogs in captivity
- Pre-release training: Conducted at a centre near Nameri National Park before animals are released
- Reintroduction sites: Orang National Park, Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, and Manas National Park (all in Assam)
- Recognition: The pygmy hog is listed among 48 species identified globally as having been saved from extinction through active conservation intervention
The PHCP is the institutional backbone of the reintroduction; Durrell's role as international partner is through this programme.
Manas National Park — Protected Area Profile
Manas is a multi-layered protected area in the foothills of the Assam Himalayas with the highest category of conservation designations.
Key Details
- Location: Bodoland Territorial Council area, Assam; borders the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan
- Area: Approximately 500 sq km (core zone)
- Designations: National Park + Project Tiger Reserve + Elephant Reserve + UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (inscribed 1985)
- UNESCO status: Was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (1992–2011) due to civil unrest; restored in 2011
- Key species: Tiger, greater one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, Bengal florican, golden langur, hispid hare, Assam roofed turtle, and pygmy hog
Manas — specifically the Kuribeel tract — is the original habitat of the pygmy hog and is the site of this reintroduction.
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — Schedule I
The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (WPA) is the principal legislation governing wildlife conservation in India. It establishes six schedules that classify species by the degree of protection afforded to them.
Key Details
- Schedule I: Absolute protection — no hunting, trade, or possession permitted under any circumstance; highest judicial penalties apply
- Schedule II: High protection but some regulated exceptions previously existed
- Schedules III & IV: Lower penalty regimes (now largely merged under WPA Amendment 2022)
- WPA Amendment, 2022: Restructured schedules; increased penalties; strengthened CITES implementation in India
- Implementing authority: Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) at the national level; state forest departments at the field level
The pygmy hog's Schedule I listing makes all stages of the PHCP's captive breeding and reintroduction work subject to specific government permissions and oversight.
- IUCN status: Endangered (Porcula salvania)
- WPA schedule: Schedule I (Wildlife Protection Act, 1972)
- Current release: 15 individuals into Kuribeel grasslands, Manas National Park
- Cumulative releases since programme began: 194 pygmy hogs
- Captive population maintained: ~90 hogs at Guwahati breeding centre
- PHCP established: 1995; founder stock captured 1996 from Manas
- Wild population estimate: Fewer than 250 mature individuals
- Target: ~300 wild individuals by 2040; ~80 more releases planned over next 5 years
- Reintroduction sites in Assam: Manas, Orang, Barnadi, Sonai Rupai
- Manas designations: National Park + Tiger Reserve + Elephant Reserve + UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1985)
- Partner organisations: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (Jersey, UK), IUCN Wild Pig Specialist Group, Assam Forest Department, Government of India