The pygmy hog. Picture courtesy: PHCP

Guwahati, Nov. 9: The critically endangered pygmy hog (Porcula salvania), the rarest and smallest wild pig in the world, will get two new homes — at Nameri National Park and Barnadi wildlife sanctuary .

The original and a small population of pygmy hogs are found in the wild at Manas National Park only in the world and were re-introduced at Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary and Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park later.

The two captive populations are at Basistha (Guwahati) and Potasali (Nameri) and more will be soon found in the Assam state zoo.

“The plan is to have three wild populations and three captive populations. We will have to try at many alternatives as some may fail,” a senior official of the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme told this correspondent today.

The official said the two new sites — Nameri National Park in Sonitpur district and Barnadi wildlife sanctuary in Udalguri district are being explored for reintroduction. “Habitat suitability will have to be carried out,” the official said.

The pygmy hog is a unique member of the wild pig family. Adult males are about 10-inch tall weighing 8-9kg and live in small groups of up to eight hogs and sleep in grass nests round the year.

At present, a total of 85 captive-bred hogs have so far been released in the wild in Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary and at Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park between 2008 and 2014. The hogs have been breeding in the wild every year since the first release and some are dispersing to nearby grasslands.

“A lot of efforts have been made for conservation of the pygmy hog and if it continues like this with cooperation from all, we do not think that it will go extinct,” the official said.

He said pygmy hog acts as a barometer for the health of the grassland and managing these wet grasslands will benefit all other species of the habitat.

“Uncontrolled burning of grass during dry season must be stopped and the places from where the species have disappeared must be protected and managed,” the official said.

Assam forest minister Rakibul Hussain today visited the programme centre at Basistha for the first time since he became minister and announced that pygmy hogs will soon be available for display at the Assam state zoo.

“The hogs would be shifted to the zoo on November 17,” Hussain said.