Durrell to return critically endangered Pygmy Hogs to Indian grasslands

09/05/2007 00:00:00 October 2006. The world’s smallest species of pig, the Pygmy Hog, was once feared extinct, but is set to be re-introduced to the grasslands of Assam thanks to a captive breeding effort by conservation charity Durrell. The charity is working closely with the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Indian authorities to ensure that the last wild population of Pygmy hogs (Sus salvanius) survives and that captive bred hogs are returned to their natural habitat in safety. It is also offering training to protected area wardens at the intended release sites.

Scientific Director at Durrell, Dr John Fa, will travel to India next month to put the final stages of the release strategy in place. He said: ‘Local people are absolutely key to the success of our work with endangered species. We will be working with national park staff, helping them learn more about this critically endangered animal and ways of protecting it through habitat management.’

Once common along the foothill plains south of the Himalayas, the Pygmy hog was believed extinct in the 1960s, until rediscovered in 1971. A survey in the mid-70s found that there were fewer than 150 animals remaining in the wild, in 2 isolated pockets in northern Assam.

Durrell embarked on an ambitious conservation project to bring the species back from the brink of extinction in 1995, capturing 6 animals and embarking on the world’s only captive breeding programme for the Pygmy hog. The scheme was hugely successful and today the programme is at full capacity with 70 animals. The hogs live in an environment that mirrors their natural habitat as closely as possible and have to root for their food of succulents, tubers and grasses as they would in the wild.

About 10 animals will be released next year, once required preparations have been made to their grassland habitats at the designated release sites: the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nameri National Park. More captive bred hogs will be released in the subsequent years.

Dr Goutam Narayan, who leads the project in India, said: ‘The hogs will be taken to a pre-release centre near Nameri and closely monitored to ensure that they acclimatise to life without human support, before they are released fully into the wild.

‘This is a tried and tested approach that Durrell has used with many endangered species across the globe, and we hope that the release of these animals will bring us one step closer to ensuring their survival.’

‘We have restored grassland at the pre-release site and have erected electric fences to keep larger animals such as elephants out. We are working with protected area staff to protect and restore the natural grasslands at the release sites and with the help of the Darwin Initiative, we have developed a curriculum for the Park Authority staff.’

Read more about Durrell and their work.