Environment News

Pygmy Hog Conservation Mission - Assam

September 15 , 2026 13 hrs 0 min 28 0

The population of the endangered pygmy hog (Porcula salvania) in Assam has increased from 6 in 1996 to 194 through a captive breeding programme.
The pygmy hog is the world’s smallest and rarest wild pig; the IUCN Red List classifies it as Critically Endangered (CR).
The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) began after six pygmy hogs were captured from Manas National Park, Assam, in 1996.
Conservationists began reintroducing pygmy hogs into the wild in 2008; they are now found in Manas, Orang, Sonai-Rupai and Bornadi protected areas.
The programme aims to increase the population to 300 by 2040, with the Assam Forest Department, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, IUCN Wild Pig Specialist Group, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and other organisations involved.