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Sussalvanius/pygmy hog
Geographic Range ·
The present range of Sussalvanius (commonly known as
the pygmy hog) is found only in the reserve forest belts of the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary and the Barnadi
Wildlife Sanctuary in northwestern Assam, India. However, they were once
found in throughout northern India, Bhutan, and Nepal. · Pygmy hogs live in tall, dense grasslands that have a mixture of shrubs and trees. Within their home range of approximately 25 hectares (61 acres), family groups live in high dome-shaped nests made of grass and other vegetation. Reasons for Decline Their decline is
believed to be caused by elimination of their habitat through human
settlement, overgrazing of livestock, commercial forestry, flood control
projects and agricultural encroachment. In addition, the grassland habitat is
periodically burned during the dry season by Forest Deparment personnel or by
herdsman and thatch collectors, leaving no cover and thus increasing
vulnerability to hunters from neighboring villages. Conservation Status · Since 1996 it was placed in the Critically Endangered category. · Pygmy hogs were brought into captivity in 1996 to start
the recovery programme. Between 2008 and 2022, 152 individuals have been
reintroduced into four protected areas (PAs) in Assam, including the recent
release of 36 individuals in Manas National Park.
· Between 2011 and 2015 animals were reintroduced into
the Orang National Park, successfully establishing a population there.
Currently, the captive breeding programme maintains two populations,
totalling 80 individuals.
· One captive population is at the Pygmy Hog Research and
Breeding Centre, at Basistha, in the foothills of the Garbhanga Reserve
Forest, on the edge of Guwahati.
· The other is The Pygmy Hog Prerelease Centre,
Potasali. It is located at the edge of the Balipara Reserve Forest. |
