Critically endangered - Pygmy Hog

Critically endangered - Pygmy Hog

Pygmy Hog (নল-গাহৰি) is a critically endangered suid(animal) & found only in Assam at present & is the sole representative of Porcula & its extinction would result in the loss of a unique evolutionary branch of pigs. Pygmy hogs were exhibited in the zoos of London and Berlin in the 19th century but none of the captive populations survived. Zürich Zoo exhibited pygmy hogs from 1976 to 1978, but all females died. The Assam State Zoo is the only Zoo in the world to house the pygmy hog at present. They are about 55 to 71 cm long & stand at 20–30 cm (7.9-11.8 in) & a tail of 2.5 cm (1 in) & weight 6.6-11.8 kg (14.5-26 lbs).

Critically endangered - Pygmy Hog -

এবিধ গাহৰিৰ নিচিনা মুখৰ পাঁচ নখীয়া সৰু বনৰীয়া জন্তু৷ এটা ডাঙৰ নল-গাহৰি ১.৬ ফুট ওখ হয়৷

 

Colour of the pygmy hog’s skin is dark brownish-black and the hair is dark. Piglets are born grayish-pink. Adult males have the upper canines visible on the sides of their mouths. They live/survive for about eight years and becomes sexually mature at one to two years old. They breed seasonally before the monsoons giving birth to a litter of three to six after a gestation of 100 days. In the wild, they make small nests by digging a small trench and lining it with vegetation. During the day time to escape heat during summer season they stay inside these nests. They feed on roots, tubers, insects, rodents and small reptiles.

Pygmy hog is designated Schedule I species in India under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and offences against them invite heavy penalties.

Pygmy Hog –SURVIVE/EXIST in Assam only - Assam State Zoo is the only Zoo in the world to house this suid.

The success of captive breeding dramatically increased after the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) was established in 1995. The PHCP was established under the umbrella of a formal 'International Conservation Management and Research Agreement' by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the IUCN's Pigs, Peccaries and Hippo Specialist Group, the Forest Department, Government of Assam, and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

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