Guwahati, May 9 : The world’s smallest pig — the pygmy hog — found only in Assam, is finally being released into the wilds near Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary in Sonitpur district.
Sixteen hogs have been kept in a bamboo enclosure at Gelgeli, north of Kalamati in Sonai Rupai wildlife sanctuary. Of these, seven are male. They were taken to Gelgeli a few days back and will be released in a day or two.
Six of them were captured from Manas in March 1996 and brought to a breeding facility at Basistha in Guwahati. Within five years the captive population rose to 77.
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust initiated a collaborative conservation programme with both the International Union for Conservation of Nature specialist group for pigs and the Assam forest department.
A conservation breeding facility and a field research project to investigate the current grassland management practices were also established.
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