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Assam’s Pygmy Hog population rises from 6 to 194 under PHCP breeding
The population of the Pygmy Hog increases from 6 individuals in 1996 to 194 through a captive breeding programme in Assam. The rise is linked to the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP), a long-running partnership created to save the species from extinction.
Pygmy Hog and Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Species | Pygmy Hog is the world's smallest and rarest wild pig. |
| Scientific name | Pygmy Hog comprises the scientific name Porcula salvania. |
| Indicator species | Pygmy Hog comprises an indicator species, an organism whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition. |
| Appearance | Males are slightly bigger than females, their coats have blackish-brown bristles over gray-brown skin, and they have no facial warts. |
| Sex-based traits | Both sexes have a tail, and females have 3 pairs of mammae. |
| Habitat | Pygmy hogs live in tall, dense grasslands that have a mixture of shrubs and trees. |
| Distinct features | Adult males possess visible upper canines that protrude from the sides of their mouths, and they lack prominent facial warts. |
| Distribution | The mammals are now found in the Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Orang National Park, and Manas National Park. |
| Behaviour | It remain hidden in tall dense grass and rarely emerge in the open. |
| Diet-related traits | They have well developed teeth, with upturned canines and molars with rounded cusps, and this allows them to enjoy an omnivorous diet. |
| PHCP | Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) comprises a long-running partnership in Assam, India, created to save Pugmy Hog from extinction. |
| PHCP timeline | PHCP is formed in 1995 and has launched breeding in 1996 after capturing 6 wild founders from Manas National Park. |
| PHCP key partners | PHCP comprises the following partners: Assam Forest Department, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Govt. of India), IUCN/SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group, Aaranyak, and EcoSystems-India. |