Full circle moment as the world’s smallest pig returns home
11 June 2026
Fifteen pygmy hogs have been released into the Kuribeel grasslands of Manas National Park in Assam, the very same location where their conservation journey began thirty years ago. This is the first time the hogs have been released in this location, marking a real homecoming for the world's smallest pig.
Led by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PCHP) is collaborative effort between the Assam Forest Department, the IUCN SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group and Ecosystems-India, with Aaranyak as a key implementation partner. Together they have been working to support this Endangered species since 1996, when six pygmy hogs were taken from this site into captivity to establish an insurance population and protect them against extinction.
So far, the PHCP have successfully bred and released 194 hogs, but a release into this site has not been possible until now. Over the last eight years, the PHCP have been working with Assam Forest Department to restore this precious grassland, where there have been no signs of a wild population for almost a decade. The restoration and subsequent release of the hogs back into their historic range is testament to the dedication of the programme.
Speaking about this huge milestone, Rebecca Brewer, Chief Executive Officer at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust said
“The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme is one of our longest running projects here at Durrell and this milestone release shows the power of our long-term conservation efforts. We are so proud to lead this collaborative initiative that has saved the pygmy hog from extinction and helped the wild population to grow and thrive in their historic home once again.”
Dr. Parag Jyoti Deka, Director of the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, added:
“The continued release and monitoring of captive-bred pygmy hogs is an important step toward establishing a self-sustaining population in the newly restored grassland habitats. We continue to strengthen our post-release monitoring strategies, with the most recent release involving camera-trap and sign surveys along with a radio-telemetry tracking of five pygmy hogs to assess their behaviour, survival, and habitat use after reintroduction. Every additional step we take, gives us opportunity to learn and create a better, stronger future for this fascinating species”
Dr.Vinay Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam stated, “The reintroduction of the endangered pygmy hog in Manas National Park under the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme is a remarkable conservation achievement. Such efforts are vital for restoring grassland ecosystems and safeguarding threatened species. I look forward to seeing a stable and self-sustaining pygmy hog population in this landscape, further strengthening Manas as a globally important biodiversity conservation area.”
Over the next five years, the PHCP plan to release around 80 pygmy hogs, with the goal of rebuilding a thriving wild population of approximately 300 animals by 2040.