Release of Pygmy Hogs in ‘Manas National Park’
Recently 8 Pygmy Hogs have been released in ‘Manas National Park’ of Assam.
Key Points
- All these pygmy hogs have been released in the forest of Assam under the government’s ‘Pygmy Hog Conservation Program (PHCP).
- Through the ‘Pygmy Hog Conservation Program’, it is planned to release 60 pygmy hogs in the Manas National Park in Assam by the year
- It is to be noted that this national park of Assam is the main habitat of this pygmy hog species, and its native population is still alive here, their numbers have declined significantly for some time.
What is the Pygmy Hog Conservation Program (PHCP)?
The PHCP is a joint program of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Assam Forest Department, the Wild Pig Specialist Group, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, based in the city of Jersey, United Kingdom. It is being implemented with the help of Aranyak and Ecosystems India.
Pygmy Hog
- These are the rarest and smallest wild boars in the world. It is mainly native to the dense alluvial grasslands in the southern foothills of the Himalayas.
- Their native habitat is India and they are limited to very few places around Manas National Park in north-western Assam.
- Their total population in the forests of India is around 250 left and it is one of the most threatened mammals in the world.
- The species is currently listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List.
- The pygmy hog has been included as a Schedule-I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 of India.
Source – The Hindu
