Page 40 - Ex-Situ Updates - Double Edition

Pygmy Hog trasport Crates placed in the release site at Manas Pygmy Hog Pre-release enclosures | Photo: Parag Deka
Photo: Goutam Narayan

Reintroduction of Pygmy Hog Road ahead

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Till 2018, the PHCP was guided by the IUCN Species
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The reintroduction of captive hogs in the wild began in
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T e r i t o u c i n o a t e h g s i e w i e a T l 2 1 , h H C P w a u d d b y t e I C N p c e
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2008. Initially, three Protected Areas from their past Action Plan (SAP) 1993, prepared by the Wild Pig
distribution range in Assam were selected for better Specialist Group. The revised SAP has been enacted
protection and restoration of alluvial grasslands. Over with a long term vision till 2030. The PHCP is guided
the next decade, 35 hogs (18 M: 17 F) were released by Durrell’s ‘Rewild Our World’ strategy which
in Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, 59 (26 M:33 F) in includes two associated plans that map out the
Orang National Park, and 22 (11 M:11 F) in Barnadi programme until 2025. The Manas Plan renewed the
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W i l e S n t a focus of PHCP on the recovery of grasslands and the
Wildlife Sanctuary. The reintroductions in Orang
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National Park have been particularly successful as they grassland obligate species and reconnecting the fringe
have multiplied almost two and a half times in community with the biodiversity of Manas. At the same
number, and have spread to areas far from release time, the Pygmy Hog Plan continues the conservation
locations. breeding and envisions establishing pygmy hog
populations through reintroduction in the remaining
In 2020, this iconic species returned to their home sub-Himalayan grasslands to ensure their long term
where their last original population still survives but s r i a .
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survival.
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has dramatically declined. It has been estimated that
with the release of 14 (6 M: 8 F) hogs in Rupahi Under these plans, a trial of different grassland
grasslands in the Bhuyanpara range of Manas in May management practises has been initiated in Manas to
2020, the total number of reintroduced hogs and their design an efficient model for the same. Similarly, the
progeny may have reached 200 in the four release community actions in the fringe villages of the Park

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sites. The release of about 60 hogs has now been have been initiated to identify the drivers of
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planned over 5 years in the Bhuyanpara range of anthropogenic pressure on grassland habitat and to
Manas from where they had disappeared. reduce them by designing targeted and sustainable
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livelihood interventions.
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